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."

Manny makes ESPN Champ of Champs final

Manny Pacquiao advanced to the finals of the ESPN STAR Sports’ Champion of Champions competition, knocking out Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in the online poll for the Sports Personality of the Year.

Pacquiao booted out Tendulkar in the semifinals after voting ended Wednesday. The world’s best pound-for-pound boxer will now face World number one squash player Nicol David of Malaysia for the title as the man who made the biggest impact in the world of sport in the year about to end.

David defeated another Indian cricket player in Sourav Ganguly in the other semifinal bracket. The Champion of Champions will be announced live on SportsCenter on Dec. 31.

Prior to his victory over Tendulkar, Pacquiao outvoted Liverpool striker Fernando Torres of Spain in the quarterfinal round and motorcycle racer Valentino Rossi in the first round.

The contest aims to garner public opinion to determine the individual who has gone beyond achievements and new levels of excellence to leave his mark on sports fans in 2008.

Tennis Star Lindsay Davenport Returns in Aussie Open

Sydney, Australia (AP)—Three-time Grand Slam-winner Lindsay Davenport has signaled a return to the WTA Tour by entering the Australian Open.

Davenport, 32, who won the 2000 Australian Open, has not played a tournament since the U.S. Open in August, fueling speculation she was planning to retire.

“We are really excited that she has entered,” tournament director Craig Tiley said Thursday. “She is a world class player and a great ambassador for our sport.”

As well as her Australian Open singles title, Davenport won Wimbledon in 1999 and the U.S. Open in 1998. She took part in this year’s Australian Open, losing to eventual champion Maria Sharapova in the second round.

Davenport took a break from the WTA Tour for part of the 2006 and 2007 seasons before giving birth to a son, Jagger, in June 2007.

Entries for next year’s Open have closed and the top 100 men and women are all on the list for the main draws

Some Analyis on the De La Hoya - Pacquiao match

With the match between Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao nearing (December 6), expect to hear more analysis and word war between the two camps. Will it be Pacquiao or De La Hoya? Is Pacquiao ready to face the bigger De La Hoya? Will the predictions or speculations turn out in favor of one? But what are the people saying about this match. Here are some samples we’ve gathered so far through e-mail.

Here are some:

1. Antonio Iturralde, Zamboanga City, via e-mail

"Freddie Roach, who has been a consistent handler of boxing champ Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao surely knows his fighter and the science of boxing. Freddie Roach’s prediction that it will end on the 9th or 10th round is 95 percent sure. Let’s all bet on our national treasure even at 10:7. On the other hand, the camp of De La Hoya is lead by a new handler who has a good track record but his fighter is new to him."

2. Mariano Beltran, New York City, via e-mail

"Even though I’m a naturalized American citizen now for many years, I still have that Filipino roots and upbringing with me so naturally I always root for Pacquiao whenever he has a fight. But I want to tell you that this time I’m not rooting for anyone. Why? It is not because the Golden Boy is a Mexican. From the boxing standpoint, Pacquiao can’t win. I’m no boxing genius but I have this feeling that Pacquiao will have his first defeat at the hands of the Golden Boy. And, I think it will be bloody. I have never seen such confidence from the Mexican population here in New York. And their points aside from being practical are mostly based on statistics. One thing they always point out is it should be quick and easy. Golden Boy will finish Pacquiao in the 3rd round or it will be a draw."

Lunas, Donaire, Pacman: 3 Pinoys for the world

It’s easy to believe that a major upheaval will hit Las Vegas on Dec. 6, based on the pronouncements of matchmaker cum laude Bob Arum.

At the rate Manny Pacquiao, called extremely amazing by Arum, has been loading up on power and speed, there should be lightning and thunder once the Filipino boxing superhero lands his biggest punch for the Pinoy.

Expect a power outage inside the ring at the MGM Grand, with the aftershock of Pacquiao’s shattering hammer blow being felt all over the world.

Hold it, please.

Uncle Bob also tends to be too generous with adjectives.

He easily gets carried away selling his fighters.

Of course, he readily got a stiff rebuff—a jab on the kisser—after he twitted Oscar De La Hoya for allegedly hiring the wrong trainer in Nacho Beristain.

Arum was reminded De La Hoya was not dumb to get somebody to cramp and change his proven sharp style.

Oscar will be at his meanest best, Arum was reminded, and Pacquiao better be ready because his only chance hinges on not getting hit.

Yes, things will never be equal once Pacquiao and De La Hoya proceed to tear at each other.

Pacquiao has, so far, proven easier to hit, and he’s also brittle around the brows.

However, De La Hoya has been seen to suffer from a graver fault.

He had regularly faded and steamed out in the closing rounds of his big battles.

All told, there’s this certainty of a knockout fast shaping up.

Experts were united in their prognosis: Hoya, if the stoppage comes in side six; Pacquiao, shaking up the boxing world in the ninth or maybe later.

They, definitely, will rock ’n roll up there at MGM Grand.

This said, there should be no waltzing for either of two more Filipino warriors in their respective world title fights this week.

He has been held back by promotional hassles.

But reigning IBF flyweight king Nonito Donaire tries to again electrify the ring in his second title defense at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday in Manila.)

Before that much-delayed outing by Donaire, dubbed the right-handed Gabriel “Flash” Elorde by prizefight maestro Rudy Salud, a relatively obscure warrior from Bicol fights for the WBA bantamweight crown.

Rolly Lunas, reigning OPBF 118-pound champ, tries to snap the string of setbacks by Filipinos against Panamanians.

He clashes with defending champion Anselmo Moreno (22-1-1) at the Centro de Convention Figali off the Panama Canal on Thursday (Friday morning in Manila.)

Then on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) Donaire takes on Moruti Mthalane, a dangerous mandatory challenger from South Africa.

What a thrill it would be if all three Filipino warriors, headed by Pacquiao, score resounding wins in the run-up to the holidays.

But, to repeat, Pacquiao won’t only be sending merry bells ringing if he puts the lights out on the Golden Boy.

It could be the brightest Christmas for his countless fans who continue to pray for their radiant, raging idol to gather enough tools and protection against expected early bombardment.

Dundee sees a bullfight in Pacman-Hoya bout

They obviously did not know enough about the man so they shrieked: What made him an authority on boxing?

That’s no longer surprising.

But you can bet majority of those who rejected Angelo Dundee when he said it would be “a cakewalk for Oscar De La Hoya” in his fight against Manny Pacquiao were unshakeable fanatics of the Filipino boxing superhero.

It’s also easier to conclude that, based on his mythical achievements, Dundee was being honestly objective in his prediction.

Here was how Dundee, 87, put it: “Oscar has fought and sparred with so many small guys. Oscar has knocked them all over the ring. I don’t think Manny can win that fight. I really don’t.”

That statement, given by the prizefight genius who goaded Muhammad Ali way up past Mt. Olympus, may not sound as profound as it should be.

But the brief quote was enough for Michael Marley of boxingconfidential.com, a tireless, inventive wordsmith, to drum it up for the world to stop and listen.

No, it’s not the sound of a locomotive chugging to where mesmerized Pacquiao fans are excitedly fixed

So who cares about this hairless old man and his predictions?

Well, in Dundee’s case, what he said should not normally be taken as a plain forecast.

It should’ve instead carried the weight and impact of a pontifical pronouncement.

Dundee, going by his worth, may have had earned enough merits to qualify him as the Pontiff of Pugilism.

Sorry, but there’s no such thing as the pope of prizefighting.

As a result, the morning after Dundee made his pronouncement, odds over the Las Vegas betting windows started to sway to Pacquiao’s side.

While there was a worrisome meltdown of Pacquiao’s stock at the start, the Dec. 6 bout no longer pointed to a sickening mismatch based on latest odds.

In fact, out there in Mexico, Pacquiao has started to win admirers in big numbers.

They appear to like Pacquiao more over De La Hoya, reported Hesiquio Alderas Olivio, who added that fans he polled in his area were “72 percent in favor of El Pacquiu.”

It was also observed that Mexicans have started to warm up to Pacquiao because “he has the big heart and the fierce fighting stance of Mexican warriors.”

Now, to those who care to know, here’s why Dundee cannot be expected to join new-found Pacquiao devotees.

First, Dundee is American.

He also preaches the gospel of classic prizefighting that puts a premium on craft, ring generalship, overall wisdom and defense.

Based on their respective styles, it’s easy to conclude that Dundee also sees the ultimate makings of a bullfight in the Pacquiao-De La Hoya fight.

De La Hoya, taller with a classic overview fighting stance, will inevitably end up the matador.

Pacquiao, needless to say, will have no choice but take the role of an unstoppable, raging bull.

In closing, Dundee must’ve also seen the Dec. 6 Dream Match being fought the way the Thrilla in Manila of Oct. 1975 was fought.

That unforgettable bout was a classic between a matador, Muhammad Ali, and a fierce, unyielding bull, Joe Frazier.

Don’t ask Dundee who won, he must’ve forgotten.

Alcano, Luat post big US Open starts

Two-time world champion Ronnie Alcano shook off an uneasy start to down American Mike Brown, 11-7, in the opening round of the 33rd Annual US Open 9-Ball Championship on Sunday at the Chesapeake Convention Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Arriving just in time for the $250,000 week-long tournament, Alcano had a tough time against Brown, a veteran internationalist, before pulling through to show the way for the nine-man Filipino squad.

The prestigious event drew a total of 237 players from around the world.

Rodolfo Luat joined Alcano in the second round after posting an 11-5 victory over Louis Ulrich.

Four other Filipinos—Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Lee Van Corteza, Warren Kiamco and Jose “Amang” Parica—likewise advanced after drawing byes.

“Medyo pagod pa ako sa mahabang biyahe (I’m still tired from the long trip),” said Alcano, the former double world champion from Calamba, Laguna, who is vying for the $40,000 top purse.

“Mabuti na lang at gumanda ‘yung tira ko nung bandang huli (I was lucky that I found my shots in the end).”

He will next face another American in Matt Clatterbuck, an 11-5 winner over compatriot Billy Anderson.

Alcano, last year’s US Open runner-up, is eyeing his first major title since ruling the World 8-Ball Championship in March 2007.

Bustamante will open his bid against Keith Brinton, who won over Adel Al-Shatti, 11-9. Corteza will take on Abdullah El-Yousef, an 11-9 victor against Randy Labonte.

Kiamco, on the other hand, will meet Jason Klatt, who prevailed in his first-round encounter with Ketie Chuberko, while Parica will have Aki Heiskanen as his next foe.

Ramil Gallego was the first Filipino to lose, absorbing an 11-3 whipping from Sam Monday while Leonardo Andam and Joven Alba were still competing at presstime.

Andam was playing Markus Juva of Finland while Alba battled Chris Melling of England.

Also through to the next round were reigning world 9-ball titlist Darryl Peach of England, Thorsten Hohman of Germany and Americans Earl Strickland and Shane van Boening, the defending champion.