Safina defeats Kuznetsova to claim Rome title

ROME – World number one Dinara Safina defeated Russian compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday to claim the WTA Rome clay court International title here.

Safina never looked in trouble as she stormed to victory in an hour and a half as her seventh-seeded opponent paid for a string of unforced errors.

The top seed also gained revenge for her 6-4, 6-3 defeat to Kuznetsova in the final of last week's Stuttgart Open.

It was her first title of the season in her fourth final having also been beaten in the Australian Open and Sydney finals earlier in the year.

Safina, 23, also won her first title as the world number one, an honor she only achieved on April 20.

But while she will be delighted with her victory, the truth was that Kuznetsova handed it too her with 30 unforced errors to just 16 by Safina.

The world number eight also took only two of 11 break point opportunities while Safina converted five of her nine chances.

And Kuznetsova's erratic play meant this result rarely looked in doubt despite a series of breaks in the opening set before Safina sealed it with a smash.

In the second the world number one simply ran away with it until the last couple of games when Kuznetsova started to fight back.

Safina had a match point on the Kuznetsova serve at 5-1 but the seventh seed showed good speed to reach a Safina drop shot and loop a backhand beyond her opponent to claim the point.

She held serve and then took a 40-15 lead on the Safina serve but the world number one saved the first with a blistering backhand winner and the second with a service winner.

A return error from Kuznetsova gave Safina a second match point which she wasted with a netted forehand at the end of a long rally.

However, two more return errors from Kuznetsova proved enough for Safina to lift this title for the first time.(Agence France Presse)

Pacquiao vs. Hatton: Who’s gonna win this fight?

By: Maugan P. Mosaid, Ph.D.

Among modern day boxing bouts, the Pacquiao-Hatton fight, I think, is one of the most difficult to predict. Reason: both fighters are equally good, they are both brawlers in the ring, they have big guns to unleash on fight night (May 2 - Saturday; May 3 - Sunday in Manila) and both are knockout artists. In this fight, it is not enough that we use only the “tale of the tapes” so-to-speak, to predict the outcome of the fight.

Before we come to the “tale of the tape”, let us examine more closely the two fighters.

A hero in his native Philippines, the 30-year-old Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs) is regarded by most boxing observers as the sport's pound-for-pound king. Demonstrating knockout power in five weight classes, his recent victory over his boxing idol, ring legend Oscar de la Hoya, was cause for national celebration. Amid growing worldwide popularity, he returns to the 140-pound division to take on the hard-hitting Hatton.

On the other hand, Ricky Hatton (45-1, 32 KOs), who hails from the streets of Manchester, England, has a tenacious fighting style and a heavy puncher too. The 30-year-old suffered his only professional loss in December 2007 when he battled future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a welterweight. Now back in the junior welterweight ranks, he wants to prove himself the most formidable fighter in that division.

Storylines for this fast-paced series will include the interaction between Pacquiao and his trusted trainer and friend Freddie Roach, as well as the fascinating alliance of Hatton and outspoken trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr.

Both fighters (Pacquiao and Hatton) clobbered to shameful defeat the legendary Oscar dela Hoya. Hatton defeated Dela Hoya about two years ago when he was presumably still in the prime of his boxing career. Pacquiao defeated Dela Hoya more than five months ago and Ricky Hatton says that that win was a fluke as Dela Hoya was already diminishingly slow. Assuming that Dela Hoya had in fact been diminished in his fighting prowess a little bit but he still showed potentially deadly punches especially if given an opponent a little less than Manny Pacquiao’s caliber. It just happened that at that time Manny Pacquiao was too much for him that he looked like he was no longer the usual ‘golden boy’ that he used to be.

Both fighters are thirty years old, though Hatton is an inch taller than Pacquiao. Many observers say that Pacquiao uses his speed better when faced with opponents who are a bit taller than him. With respect to knockouts, Pacquiao had 75% of his fights in knockouts while Hatton had 71% batting average but Pacquiao lost thrice and Hatton suffered only one defeat in the hands of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in December 2007.
But more than anything else, Pacquiao’s big heart is his most potent weapon. As he says, his hand will do more of the talking than his mouth. Hatton could be heavier on fight night but weight advantage is one thing and hitting is another thing. On fight night Dela Hoya was four kilograms heavier than Pacquiao but we never saw that advantage in Dela Hoya. Hatton, is of course, a little bit different than Dela Hoya which Manny acknowledged himself, and that is why he says that speed and skill are his best weapons against Hatton.

This is the only Pacquiao fight, to me, that is truly unpredictable. We can only be very sure about one thing and that this is going to be a very explosive fight from beginning to end with both fighters out to prove something. The win for any of them is a win like no other.

And so given all of the above, what do I have in my score card before the fight? Well, the fight shall last until the 12th full round with both men still standing up to the last round and the winner shall be declared by a split decision. In such case, nobody is real winner and loser. That will be good for both of them in their boxing career and the re-match will then be more exciting than this first one.

Pacquiao sees Hatton fight toughest of career

WASHINGTON - Manny Pacquiao faces the toughest fight of his career in a hotly-anticipated clash with Britain's Ricky Hatton next week in Las Vegas.

"For me, this is not a regular fight," said the Filipino southpaw. "I consider this fight to be the toughest of my boxing career. After all he is undefeated at 140 pounds."

The former four-weight world champion challenges Hatton hfor his IBO light-welterweight title on May 2.

The Briton has never lost at his natural weight while Pacquiao, who declined to make any predictions about the fight, will be boxing in the division for the first time.

"I want to let my fists do the talking in the ring," 'Pac-Man' Pacquiao, ever respectful of his opponents, added in a teleconference call on Friday. "This is not an easy fight.

"Ricky Hatton is a different kind of fighter than I have been fighting before. He's a good fighter and a strong fighter. I expect him to be in 100 percent condition. He has a lot of energy and throws a lot of punches."

Widely regarded as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, Pacquiao said he and his team had been repeatedly watching video tapes of previous Hatton fights.

"He has a strong left hand, so we have studied that and prepared for that," the 30-year-old added.

But Pacquiao would not detail how he and trainer Freddie Roach planned to neutralise the Englishman's strengths.

HATTON'S STYLE

"We're ready for Ricky's style," he said. "We have been working on different techniques. I don't want to tell you what they are. I want to surprise you."

Pacquiao enhanced his impressive resume by outclassing 10 times world champion Oscar De La Hoya in December and promoter Bob Arum believes the Filipino now merits consideration as one of the greatest fighters ever.

"I personally have never seen such explosiveness combined with speed in all my years of boxing," said Arum, who has promoted boxing greats such as Marvin Hagler, Floyd Mayweather Jr and De La Hoya.

"I believe Manny's body of work establishes him as one of the best fighters in the history of boxing."

Idolised in the Philippines, Pacquiao has always strived to perform well for his fans.

"All I'm trying to do is give happiness and enjoyment to the people," he said.

Remarkably, his success in the ring has even led to temporary ceasefires in the 40-year guerrilla war being fought between Philippine troops and the Maoist-led New People's Army .

Steffani Cacho, Western Mindanao Command information officer, was quoted as saying in December: "If Manny fights, the guns will be silent."

On Friday, Pacquiao said in reply: "If that's a reason for them to be silent, I can fight every day

Donaire, Viloria crush Mexican foes

Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire lived up to his moniker, crushing Raul “Cobra” Martinez in just four rounds while Brian Viloria scored an emotional win knocking out Ulises Solis to snatch the IBF light flyweight crown in their title bout at the Araneta Coliseum.

Despite a painful left hand, Donaire pummeled his Mexican-American challenger from the get-go, hitting Martinez with left-right hook combinations in the first and second rounds.

Donaire, who retained his IBO/IBF flyweight title, delivered the decisive killer blows in 2:42 mark of the fourth round, ending the fight on a technical knockout (TKO).

He improved his win-loss record to 21-1-0 (14 by way of knockout) while handing the erstwhile undefeated Martinez his first loss after 24 fights.

“He’s a real champion. I’m a big fan of him now,” Martinez said after the fight. He also acknowledged that he was “not invincible,” when asked about the lessons he learned from the bout with Donaire.

Donaire, whose father was not able to watch him fight, said he felt a stinging pain in his left hand.

“My father will always be my father and I thank him because he got me where I am today,” Donaire said during post-fight interviews.

Meanwhile, Viloria, nicknamed “The Hawaiian Punch”, knocked down Ulises Solis in the 11th round to steal the IBF light flyweight crown.

Viloria was aggressive in the first two rounds but Solis recovered in later rounds, before the Fil-Am fighter opened a cut in his right eyebrow in the fifth round.

A former WBC junior flyweight king, Viloria again struggled on the sixth round as Solis briefly regained control of the fight. Both fighters exchanged punches in later rounds until a solid right hook from Viloria knocked his opponent cold towards the end of the 11th round.

During post-fight interviews, Viloria, who improved his record to 25-2-0 (15 by knockout), admitted that Solis was a “tough nut to crack”.

The Mexican fighter, who earlier christened himself “The Filipino Executioner”, previously defeated Filipino boxers Rodel Mayol, Bert Batawang and Nonito’s older brother, Glenn Donaire.(By Marjorie Gorospe; INQ.net)

Pacquiao, Hatton to fire "big guns" - Donaire

The Philippines' Nonito Donaire, who himself is seeing action on April 19 at the Araneta Coliseum when he defends his crown against unbeaten Raul “Cobra” Martinez, said the MGM Grand crowd in Las Vegas can expect an action-packed bout as he expects both heavy hitters to unload their “big guns” on fight night.

“They both have machine guns, I mean big guns, and for sure they will use them on fight night,” said the 26-year-old Filipino champ.

However, in terms of speed and skill the odds are stacked against the Hitman from Manchester, England, Donaire said.

Donaire noted that Hatton has a mannerism that might work in Pacquiao’s favor.

“He (Hatton) tends to throw combinations and then bob to the left,” observed Donaire.

That practice, according to him, will move the Briton away from Pacquiao’s pet left straight and force the Filipino to use his now-polished right hook.

“Hatton is also tall, Manny can very easily use his speed against him,” said Donaire.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, said he plans to use the Filipino’s speed and quick footwork to stay out of Hatton’s range.

“Manny’s style doesn’t change a lot, but both opponents from these two last fights he is about to be or has been involved in—(Oscar) De La Hoya and Hatton—are both stronger, bigger guys, and we can’t stand in front of them,” Roach said.

Roach has packed his personal stuff and moved out of the Wild Card gym to give Pacquiao an exclusive training area. (Inquirer Sports)

Manny Pacquiao is best pound-for-pound fighter

The country’s pride, Manny Pacquiao has indeed reached the status that any Filipino boxer could only dream off, that of being one of the greatest boxers in the planet today.

As if holding four belts from different weight divisions at the same time, and with numerous sport committees and organizations granting awards and commendations left and right, the title best pound-for-pound fighter given to him by boxing experts has just become official.

That is because Sports Illustrated magazine has granted that honor to the Philippine hero, Pacquiao. The widely-read sports magazine came up with its latest pound-for-pound ranking, and at the top of list is our very own Pacquiao.

“Dazzling at whatever weight class he chooses to fight,” is how Sports Illustrated describes the Pacman.

Last year, Pacquiao fought in three different weight classes, and won all of them. From Juan Manuel Marquez (130 lbs), David Diaz (135 lbs) and Oscar dela Hoya (147 lbs). And on May 2, Pacman, who started at 106 lbs, will be facing off with British superstar Ricky Hatton (140 lbs) for the IBO light-welterweight crown.

Pacquiao’s victory over Hatton at the MGM Grand will give his fifth world title in different weight classes, including flyweight, super-bantam, super-feather and lightweight, and as Sports Illustrated wrote, “a win over Hatton all but guarantees a shot at a former pound-for-pound champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., who many feel is lurking in anticipation of a Pacquiao victory.”

Following Pacquiao on the list of pound-for-pound kings is one of his nemesis Mexican counter-puncher Manuel Marquez, the reigning lightweight champion and would definitely love to have a third chance on the Pinoy champ.

Experts say, a third fight is necessary to put the issue between Pacquiao and Marquez to rest. Their first match in 2004 ended in a controversial draw, and their March 2008 bout ended with a close decision.

Mosley eyes fight with Pacquiao

Shane Mosley is keen on fighting the winner of the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton showdown for the International Boxing Organization welterweight crown on May 2 in Las Vegas.

Especially if the victor turns out to be the Filipino ring icon.

“I’m very interested in that fight,” Mosley, the WBA welterweight champion, told Ricardo Lois of Examiner.com. “I really want that fight. Very good for the boxing world and the public, Manny Pacquiao being No. 1 in the pound for pound list.”

But the 37-year-old Mosley doesn’t want to go down to junior welterweight anymore, saying it would be very difficult for him to fight at 140 lb having fought at 154 in the past.

Mosley noted that Pacquiao and Hatton fought at 147 lb with contrasting results. Hatton absorbed his lone defeat from the now-retired Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2007 while Pacquiao stopped boxing’s poster boy Oscar De La Hoya in eight rounds last December.

If the fight with either Pacquiao or Hatton doesn’t work out, Mosley, a three-division world champion with a record of 46 wins, five losses and one no contest, spiked by 39 knockouts, said he is interested in having a rematch with Miguel Cotto.

Two years ago, Cotto beat Mosley by a close but unanimous decision.

The 5-foot-9 Mosley owns the distinction of besting De La Hoya, the world’s only six-division champion, twice.

After Hatton, Pacquiao is looking at two more fights before hanging up his gloves.

Among those prominently mentioned as possible opponents are Cotto, Mayweather Jr. WBO super featherweight champion Joan Guzman and Juan Manuel Marquez, who is raring for a third fight with Pacquiao after his ninth round stoppage of World Boxing Association, World Boxing Organization and International Boxing Federation lightweight champion Juan Diaz last month.

In their first meeting on May 8, 2004, Marquez battled back from three first round knockdowns to forge a controversial draw.

In their return bout last March 15, Pacquiao squeezed out a split decision victory over the 35-year-old Mexican to win the WBC super featherweight crown.(Roy Luarca)

Pacquiao: "I’ll take Hatton’s crown"

Manny Pacquiao has realized one of his long-cherished dreams: To breathe the moist air in faraway England.

Exactly two months from now, he will try to accomplish another. That is, to add the light welterweight crown—at the expense of British superstar Ricky Hatton—to his four previous world championship belts.

“My dream was to come here to England and it has come true,” Pacquiao told the British newspaper The Sunday Telegraph. “I also have the desire to take the light welterweight title, and it’s a big honor to be in another fight which the fans want to see.”

Pacquiao arrived in London on Saturday morning after a 16-hour flight and later faced Hatton for the first time at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

The event was a kickoff press conference-cum-fan rally for their “The East vs the West” title clash slated at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao will be after Hatton’s International Boxing Organization crown in that May 2 slugfest. The Ring Magazine has also announced that the winner of that bout will be the revered boxing magazine’s light welterweight kingpin.

Accompanied by lawyer Jeng Gacal and trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao took the 8:40 a.m. schedule on a first-class cabin where he talked to his family over the phone and had a calf massage, according to Internet reports.

Four cars were waiting for the Filipino’s entourage when they arrived in Manchester.

Pacquiao did not directly predict he will take out Hatton, who is also 30 years old like the Gen. Santos City southpaw, but admitted that winning is a must.

“Every time I fight, I have to win because millions of Filipinos are hoping for victory,” said Pacquiao, who wore a suit. “Millions of people look to me to win. I have to go out and give everything.”

Hatton was more optimistic in front of his countrymen who naturally made up majority of the estimated 6,000 fans.

“On May 2, I’ll be the new pound-for-pound king,” Hatton vowed. “I’ve never been beaten at 10 stone (140 lb). This is my weight. This is where I do best. I promise all my fans I’ll win for Manchester!”

To which Pacquiao retorted: “Good luck but I’m going to win it for the Philippines.” (By Romina Austria)

Pacquiao Cautioned Against Hatton

We all know that Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao takes all his fights seriously and prepares for it like his life depends on it. And anytime now, he will be undergoing a serious and committed training in preparation for his face off with Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas on May 2 this year.

But in spite of Pacman’s dedication, Chris John, the WBA featherweight champion and Indonesian icon, cautioned Pacquiao that he should not take Hatton lightly, adding that “I’m a Pacquiao fan and I want him to win. But I don’t think he’s ever fought anyone like Hatton before.”

John did not make any prediction on the outcome of the game and just safely said that it’s a 50-50 proposition, although if Pacquiao fights like the way he did against Oscar de la Hoya last December, he believes Pacman will beat the Hitman.

John’s manager and trainer, Australian Craig Christian, however predicted in favor of Hatton, saying he will stop Pacquiao.

John’s apprehension and Christian’s prediction are not without basis after all, because Hatton, as they say, is one of the dirtiest fighters.

Christian said “He’ll rough up Pacquiao or try to for sure. He’ll use the same brawling tactics that led to the knockout over Kostya Tzsyu. I think Hatton is too strong for Pacquiao at junior welterweight. It’ll be an action-packed fight because I don’t expect Pacquiao to back off.”

He advised Pacquiao’s handlers to be alert and watch out for Hatton’s dirty tactics. He said that they should expose them before the fight to put whoever referees will be in charge, on alert.

For his part, John who still remains undefeated at this point is set to defend his title on February 28 in the US against Rocky Juarez. A fight which Christian said would define John’s future.

“I’ve told Chris what’s at stake,” Christian said, “If he loses, it’s back to fighting in Indonesia for promoters paying $500 for a 12-rounder. If he wins, its sky’s the limit. We’re not looking past Juarez who’s a quality boxer. But we’re lining up Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez at featherweight next then it’ll be Juan Manuel Marquez in rematch and if he’s interested to fight, Pacquiao.” John is one of only four fighters, which includes Pacquiao, who have defeated Marquez.

Why Federer should worry about Nadal

By Martin Rogers

As he stood with his will broken and psyche cracked, Roger Federer couldn't staunch the flow of tears welling from within him.

Whether it was frustration, confusion or the painful acceptance of his own mortality that drew such emotion from the 13-time Grand Slam winner, Federer's defeat to Rafael Nadal in the Australian Open final will leave deep scars for which there is no quick fix.

Nadal emerged from another epic having dealt a crushing blow in the greatest rivalry in individual sports.

The 22-year-old defied reason to claim his sixth Slam title, recovering from a grueling semifinal to prevail on a hard-court surface upon which he had never previously reached a major final.

Federer's place in history is secure but right now Nadal is beating him up through force of spirit and clarity of tactical thought.

When the midnight hour came and went at Melbourne Park it was Nadal whose conviction remained intact and whose resolve hardened.

When it mattered most it was Federer's game, that beautifully stylish concoction that is too strong for all but one man on the planet, which fell apart.



Tennis can still talk about the Big Four (with Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray) and a Big Two, but it's Nadal who has clamped an iron grip upon the field.

The man from the Spanish island of Mallorca simply doesn't know when to quit and retains ultimate belief that victory is his destiny even when all the evidence is piled up to suggest the contrary.

Nadal looked spent in the critical third set, yet dug from his deepest reserves of energy and belief to stave off six break points and then prevail in a tiebreak.

In the fifth he never wavered, and it was a spate of uncharacteristic unforced errors from Federer that were decisive.

Nadal has looked unbeatable on clay for years but now he seems like an immoveable object on any surface. Just make sure the stakes are high enough and he will find a way to get it done.

Entering the stage of his career that is normally a tennis player's peak, it isn't hard to believe he is likely to overtake the mark Federer is chasing, Pete Sampras' 14 Slams.

Nadal will chase a fifth straight French Open in four months before defending his Wimbledon title. Now that he is flushed with the extra confidence from knowing he can win Slams anywhere, it is hard to see how Nadal can be stopped.

Federer's tears told their own story – this is what happens when you get broken down by tennis' ultimate warrior.

Finals favor Federer

It is the dream matchup, the latest installment of the greatest head-to-head rivalry in individual sports.

Yet thanks to the unfair and boneheaded planning of the Australian Open organizers, the men's final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer is in danger of being a bust.

Nadal's five-set marathon against Fernando Verdasco went into the early hours of Saturday morning and finished more than 24 hours after Federer's own semifinal victory over Andy Roddick.
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam to schedule semifinals on different days. In this instance, it has tilted the odds massively in favor of the Swiss maestro for the first Slam final of the year.

Federer has been magnificent ever since he survived a scare against Tomas Berdych in the fourth round, and he would have entered his showdown with Nadal as the favorite in any case. But what the tennis public deserves to see is these two brilliant warriors squaring off on even footing - not with one player receiving a huge advantage.

Federer has had since Thursday evening to rest up and prepare himself for the final, and he will have two days of freshness in his legs when he steps on court at Rod Laver Arena. As he prepares to go head to head with Nadal for the first time since losing that epic Wimbledon final last year, he could not have wished for a bigger edge to take into the match.

"It is an unbelievable opportunity for me, trying to beat the No. 1 player in the world and get my 14th Grand Slam," Federer said.

If Federer wins, he would match Pete Sampras' all-time career Slam record of 14 titles ... at the age of 27.

Nadal is competing for his sixth Slam, having won four straight times at the French Open plus Wimbledon in 2008.

The Spaniard is better equipped than anyone else in the game to recover from a grueling contest and bounce back strongly. His physical reserves are remarkable; while Verdasco looked utterly spent at the end of their semifinal, Nadal still seemed to have something in the tank.

But the farther things go against Federer, the more the odds must tilt away from Nadal. It is hard to imagine that he has another long five-setter in him, especially against a man who has enjoyed an extra day of relaxation.

Expect Federer to continue to ride his wave of momentum and win in four hard-fought sets.(By Martin Rogers)

Aussie open: Federer is top favorite, says Nadal

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Spain's Rafael Nadal named Roger Federer as clear favorite for their Australian Open final after the top seed's epic semi with Fernando Verdasco.

Nadal, who sobbed as he earned three match points after five hours and 14 minutes -- an Australian Open record, was facing a race against time to recover for Sunday's final.

"It's going to be a little bit tough on Sunday. Roger had today off and only three sets in his semi-final so now, for sure, he's the favorite," said Nadal.

"But I'll try my best."

After the brutal but high-quality marathon, Verdasco netted the final point at 1:07 a.m. on Saturday and Nadal was still talking to the media at 3 a.m.

He said he would have a massage, eat, and try to sleep as long as possible on Saturday before a light practice session in the evening. The final is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (0830 GMT) on Sunday.

Nadal, 22, is unlikely to be fully recovered after being stretched to the limit by his fellow left-hander, who bounced back from an apparent injury problem to force a gripping final set.

Nadal compared the clash to last year's classic Wimbledon final with Federer, which was also a record for that tournament at four hours and 48 minutes.

"After two finals (Wimbledon) for me it was a little bit more emotional," he said.

"But today was one of those matches you're going to remember a long time. The emotion was big, because in the last game at 0-40 I started to cry. There was too much tension."

The unexpectedly close encounter with the little-known 14th seed sets up Nadal's first hard-court Grand Slam final in 11 attempts, where he can stop Federer matching Pete Sampras's record 14 Major titles.

Nadal has played Federer in six Grand Slam title matches, winning at both the French Open and Wimbledon last year to take a 4-2 edge in the meetings and a 12-6 lead overall.

He admitted he would rather not be facing the Swiss, who has looked back to his best in his march to the final.

"Any match against Federer is special, and another Grand Slam final is even more exciting," he said.

"But I'm a little bit unlucky. I don't know how I'm going to be for the final. I'm going to try my best for sure for recover my body and my physical performance.”

"But after one match like this, the next days you feel much heavier. It's unlucky I'm always playing the same guy -- the best. For sure, I'd prefer another opponent."