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."

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."