Novak into last four after Fognini withdraws!

Novak is one victory away from becoming world no.1!

   Second seed Novak Djokovic advanced to the French Open semi-finals without hitting a ball after his quarter-final opponent world no.49 Italian Fabio Fognini told at news conference on Monday he was pulling out because of injury.
The pair were due to play on Tuesday but the Italian has not recovered from cramps and muscle problems sustained in Sunday's long five-set victory over Spaniard Albert Montanes.
 
" I have a little problem with my left left leg so I have to retire, " Fognini said.
 
"My doctors said if I play tomorrow maybe it can be dangerous. It's the best tournament of my career. But this is the best solution."
 
   Nole is on a 41-match winning streak since the start of the year, just one behind John McEnroe's 1984 record.
 
   His progression to the last four will not count as part of the streak, so the world number two will have to win the title for the first time if he is to break the American's record at Roland Garros.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Novak eyes no.1, meets de Bakker in R1 of Roland Garros!

   French Open – Roland Garros (€17,520,000) starts on Sunday, May 22, 2011. The winner of the second Grand Slam of the season will get €1,120,000 and 2000 ATP points, the finalist will get €600,000 and 1200 points.
128 players will try to do their best on the courts of the tennis complex during the fifteen days of the competition. The winner will be known on June 5.
 
   Opening round matches will be played during the first three days of the competition, on 20 courts. The main are Philippe Chatrier, Suzanne Lenglen and Court no.1!
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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McEnroe: Novak's winning streak is more impressive then mine!!!

   John McEnroe believes that the 37-match winning streak that Novak Djokovic has put together in 2011 is even more impressive than the record-breaking run of 42 wins that the American registered in 1984.
    McEnroe, who revealed that he is to return to the Royal Albert Hall in London for the AEGON Masters Tennis tournament in December, has been amazed by what he has seen from the Serbian player.
 
" Given that there's more competition, more athleticism and deeper fields now, I'd say his record is even more impressive than mine ", said McEnroe.
 
" Especially given that in 1984, the major in Australia was played at the end of the year, whereas he had to win it (as part of his streak). I was coming into my first Grand Slam of the year at the French, where the streak was broken (in the final against Ivan Lendl). So things are different. Also, he came into the year at No.3 and to be able to dominate [higher ranked players] the way he has, well, to put it mildly, it's been quite amazing to see what he's done and how much more confidently he's playing. "
 
   McEnroe, who went on to dismantle Jimmy Connors in one of the greatest Wimbledon performances ever seen in the 1984 final, said that he is actually pulling for Djokovic to break his record.
 
" I'm quite excited that he might break my record at the French Open ", he said. "Records are made to be broken. It's the definition of mixed emotions. I think I've pretty much lost every record that I had but, at the same time, I know that this has been a shot in the arm for our sport. Everyone knew he was capable, because he had won a major and he showed some heart at the [2010 US] Open, when he came from two match points down [in the semi-final against Roger Federer]. To see what he's done since then, I hasten to say that even he's a little surprised."
 
   The American, who won the title at the Royal Albert Hall in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003, is looking forward to returning to the ATP Champions Tour event for the first time in three years.
 
" The London tournament has always been one of my favourite events of the year ", he said. " The crowds are really fantastic, the atmosphere is great and the Royal Albert Hall is one of the most spectacular arenas I've ever played in. I still love to compete and I always play to win so I am training hard to be able to bring my best tennis back to London. "
  SOURCE:  Novak Djokovic Official Webite
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Novak just 405 points behind Nadal, finals of Roland Garros guarantees no.1 spot!

   With the title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Novak is one step closer to position number 1 in the world rankings.
 
   In the ATP Ranking list as of Monday, May 16, the champion of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament in Rome, has 11,665 points which is 1000 points more than last Monday.
 
Rafael Nadal is still first with 12,070 points. The Spaniard has only 405 points more than Nole - Invictus, the winner of seven ATP titles this year.
 
   Nole became the first player to qualify for 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London which will take place at The O2 Arena from 20-27 November. In the ATP race list, which leads to the final season event, the best Serbian tennis player has 6,975 points.
 
   The position number 1 in the world rankings has never been closer. Novak could reach the no.1 spot for the first time in his career after French Open.
Djokovic will defend quarter-finals, 360 points, the defending champion Rafael Nadal won 2000 points last year.
 
   Novak can claim the top if he reaches finals in Paris. There are also other scenarios. If Rafa does not take the title at Roland Garros, Novak will reach the no.1 with any performance at the second Grand Slam of the season..
  SOURCE:  Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Invincible Nole conquers Rome, clinches 25th career title!

The most dominant player on the tour, Novak Djokovic, keeps the dream alive.

    The world no.2 continued his perfect start to the 2011 season with a fantastic 6-4, 6-4 triumph over top-seeded Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the finals at the Foro Italico in 2 hours and 12 minutes to capture the Rome Masters trophy, his seventh ATP title this year.
   This is Nole’s ninth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, and his second in Rome (he beat Wawrinka in 2008 finals).
 
   It was the fourth final between the two best players in the world this year, and Nole’s fourth win over the world no.1. Djokovic was victorious also in Indian Wells, Miami and Madrid.
 
Novak broke Nadal's serve in the eighth game for 5-3 and was serving for the set when the Spaniard broke back. Nole continued being aggressive. He hit a fierce forehand onto the baseline and Nadal returned into the net to hand the Serb a first set point. Djokovic took full advantage of it, stepping inside the baseline and hitting a backhand across court for a winner to take the set 6-4.
 
   Novak made a break in the second game of the second set for 2-0 lead, but the top seed of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Rome fought back immediately and held to level at 2-all. The players held their serves until the tenth game when Djokovic decided to take more risk. His aggressive approach paid off and he earned three break/match points. Nadal was serving great and saved all three, but Novak fired another huge forehand which the Spaniard returned long to hand him match point no.4. The Serb grabbed the opportunity for 6-4 and his fourth Masters title in 2011!
     Veni, Vidi, Vici!
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Novak downs Murray in thriller, faces Rafa in Rome finals!

The Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic is still unbeaten in 2011!
 
    No.4 seed Andy Murray got really close to ending Nole’s run, but the Serb prevailed in a thriller 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (2) on Saturday evening to progress into the finals of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, his seventh ATP final of the season.
   The world no.2 started strong breaking Murray in the second game of the opening set. The Scot broke back immediately, but Nole converted two more breaks of serve in the fourth and sixth games, and served it out to 15 for 6-1.
Novak hit 11 winners to Murray’s 4, and made 8 unforced errors to the Brit’s 14.
 
   The statistics pretty much changed in the second set in Murray’s favour. He was making less errors, while the level of Novak’s game dropped. Murray won the opening game to love closing it with an ace. A break in the sixth game was enough for the no.4 seed to take the set 6-3 and level the match up at one set all.
 
   Djokovic broke his opponent’s serve in the fourth game of the decisive final set, but couldn’t keep the advantage. Murray fought back in the fifth converting his break point with a fantastic return and held to equalise the result to 3-3. The Brit made another break in the seventh game, but this time Nole broke back to level at 4-all. The 23-year-old Belgrade native was broken again in the ninth game, but he came back into the match when Murray double-faulted on a break point. The set went into a tie-breaker, Novak made two mini-breaks and won it 7-2.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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In bed with Rihanna

Rihanna is her most sultry yet in the video for her new ballad, California King Bed.

In a marked departure from up-tempo hit Only Girl (in the World) the sixth single from her Loud album is a slow-paced song about lovers growing apart.

The short film, which was directed by Anthony Mandler in Los Angeles, features the scarlet-haired Bajan beauty lying between the sheets with a shirtless lover.

As she laments the distance between the protagonists lying on the California King Bed, Rihanna - dressed in white shorts and bra - is sexy and dishevelled as she rolls around restlessly.

Donning a floaty night dress, the 23-year-old then laments to a heavenly backdrop of clouds and a Californian sunset as the lover drifts away.

The director changes from colour to a black and white lens during the song's third refrain, before switching back to colour for the final shots of Rihanna lying in a field of grass, the same shot that opens the video.

At the end of February, the pop superstar took to Twitter to poll her fans, asking them to choose her next single, she wrote: 'QUESTION EXISTING: I'm shootin a new vid in a cpl wks, I just need u to tell me, which song should I shoot? What is my next single?" she tweeted before firing off, "Its hard to go from s+m to SKIN! Don't want to be 2 swiney.' California King Bed was announced as the next single just a few days later.

And it was a key part of the five song set the songbird performed on the Nivea Blue Boat in Hamburg, Germany last night to mark the brand's 100th anniversary. The singer has been jetting across Europe to promote the big event, which culminated in the rousing gig last night where she blasted through Only Girl (in the World), Disturbia, Don't Stop the Music, Umbrella and the new single.

The Umbrella singer even made a quick stop in London to perform at a luxurious party being held to celebrate the engagement of the daughter of Formula 1 boss Bernie Eccelestone.

His 22-year-old daughter Petra is set to marry businessman Jamie Stunt and Rihanna was brought in to provide the entertainment at the lavish function.

Rihanna has also just signed on to perform at the opening of The Today Show's summer concert series.

Her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown has also signed on to perform but they will be on stage on separate days - Rihanna on May 27 and Brown on July 15.

ATP List: Novak moves closer to Nadal!

In the latest ATP list as of Monday, May 9, Nole is still ranked second with 10,665 points.
 
 
  With the title at the Mutua Madrid Open, Novak has consolidated at number two in the ATP Ranking list and is getting closer to Spaniard Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic got 1000 points, while 45 points from last year’s Serbia Open semi-finals dropped off.
 
   Nadal is still first with 12,470 points (he got 600 pts for yesterday’s final), but he will lose 1000 points on Monday, May 16, when the points for the last year’s Madrid Masters tournament will drop off.
 
Novak is first in the ATP race list, which leads to the ATP World Tour Finals in London. He has 5,985 points, and needs only 355 more to officially qualify for the WTF tournament.
 
 ATP top 5 as of May 9:
1. Rafael Nadal (Spain) 12.470
2. Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 10,665
3. Roger Federer (Switzerland) 8,900
4. Andy Murray (Great Britain) 5,905
5. Robin Soderling (Sweden) 5,265
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Unstoppable Novak downs Rafa for the first time on clay to lift Madrid Masters trophy!

   Novak Djokovic is the Mutua Madrid Open champion!
 
   Brilliant Nole defeated world no.1 Spaniard Rafael Nadal in straight sets 7-5, 6-4 in 2 hours and 17 minutes in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event final to capture his sixth title in 2011 and 24th career trophy!
This is Novak’s first victory over the Spaniard in their ten matches on clay.
 
   Novak saved two break points in the opening game of the match. Then he made a double break, in the second and fourth games, to shock both crowd and Nadal for 4-0 lead. The Spaniard broke back once in the fifth. Djokovic was serving for the set at 5-3, he was 30-0 up, but Rafa managed to break back once again and held to level the result to 5-all. The world no.2 stayed calm, regrouped and held to love. Nole finally had some luck, two net cords fell his way, but he also took the other two points and broke the clay court expert Nadal to love to seal the set 7-5 in 68 minutes. The no.1 Serbian player hit 15 winners, 7 more than his opponent, they both made 12 unforced errors.
 
   Nadal broke to love in the first game of the second set. The game will be remembered for a remarkable point, a lob - through the legs, running back. Nole broke back immediately for 1-1. Both players held serves till the tenth game when Rafa was serving to stay in the match. Djokovic started in thrilling style. Fantastic backhand into the corner opened up a 0-30 advantage. After another lengthy rally, the second-seeded Serb earned three championship points. He converted the second to clinch his eighth Masters career title and ended Nadal's 37-0 win streak on clay, in Madrid, on his home court.
 
Match statistics: aces (3-3), double faults (1-0), winners (26-17), unforced errors (27-27).
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Impressive Nole overcomes Ferrer test, reaches semis in Madrid!

   World no.2 Novak Djokovic extended his season-opening winning streak to 30 matches at the Mutua Madrid Open, surpassing the best start in men’s tennis in 25 years!

   Djokovic, the Australian Open champion, beat no.6 seed Spaniard David Ferrer, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in 2 hours and 27 minutes on Friday to advance to the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.
   Nole was broken in the second game of the opening set, but he broke back immediately and held to level the result. The 23-year-old Belgrade native broke Ferrer’s serve once again in the ninth game and closed the set 6-4 in 44 minutes.
 
   Djokovic made a break in the opening game of the second set and consolidated it for 2-0 lead. He lost his momentum in the sixth game and let his opponent come back into the match. Novak was serving to stay in the set, when Ferrer broke him for the second time to take the set 6-4 and level the match up at one set all.
   The second-seeded Serb stayed calm and focused, mentally strong. He made a crucial break in the fifth game of the decisive final set, kept the advantage and broke the Spaniard again in the ninth game to seal the set and match 6-3.
 
This is Novak's first win over Ferrer on clay.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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Novak clinches second Serbia Open trophy!

Novak Djokovic is the champion of the third edition of Serbia Open!
 
  The ATP World Tour 250 event top seed captured his fifth title in 2011, and 23rd in his career, with a 7-6(4), 6-2 victory over world no.37 Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in 1 hour and 56 minutes on Sunday.
  This is Nole’s second triumph at his hometown tournament. He lifted the trophy at the inaugural Serbia Open 2009.
      
The opening set went into a tie-breaker. The 23-year-old Belgrade native took it 7-4.
 
It turned out to be crucial for the outcome of the final.
 
   Lopez was broken twice in the second set, in the third and seventh games. Nole served out the match 6-2.
  SOURCE: Novak Djokovic Official WebSite
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