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The Swiss, winner of 16 Grand Slam titles and seeded No. 2, was eliminated in the semifinals of the Australian winner of the 2008, Serb Novak Djokovic, ranked third in three sets 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-4, Thursday.

Novak Djokovic

Before the tournament there was much talk of a possible final between Nadal, who was a fourth consecutive gain in Grand Slam and Federer, who was seeking a fifth title in Melbourne and was perhaps the only tennis player to be able to stop Spanish.

Instead, Nadal, injured, was eliminated in the quarterfinals by compatriot David Ferrer in three sets small and now it’s time for Federer to leave with his shotgun. Ferrer could join Djokovic in the final. He will face Andy Murray in Friday’s second semifinal.

“I intend to watch this match to bed with some popcorn,” said Djokovic. David played a fantastic match against Rafa, even if Rafa was struggling with an injury.

“They are in great shape. Andy shows good form on this surface. It’s a Grand Slam final, anything can happen. I believe in myself. This is truly one of the best games I’ve played a long time. ”

This is the first time since 2003 that Federer will not hold one of the four Grand Slam titles and the first time that neither Nadal nor Switzerland is in the final of a Grand Slam final in Melbourne since the opponent Djokovic Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, in 2008.

“I was ready to deliver two sets easily,” said Federer. It is a pity that I could not push it that far. I wanted to win the tournament for a fifth time, but tonight it was not possible. ”

This is the second consecutive time that eliminates Federer Djokovic in the semi-finals of a major tournament. He had done at Flushing Meadows to win his place in the final against Nadal.

Andy Murray eliminated Jurgen Melzer in straight sets 6-3, 6-1, 6-1, Monday at the Australian Open for the second consecutive year.

Finalist in 2010 ended the match with an ace and will play in the quarterfinals Alexandr Dolgopolov, who upset fourth-seeded Robin Soderling.

Robin Soderling

Soderling, a finalist at Roland Garros, was eliminated bowing 1-6, 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 in the fourth round against Dolgopolov.

Soderling won the tournament Preparatory Brisbane without losing a single round and had not conceded a set in Melbourne before crossing swords with the 22 year old Ukrainian, who reached the quarterfinals in his first year at this major tournament.

The reverse cross Dolgopolov that led to his first match was a good example of the winners 50 shots he faced to a successful Soderling stunned. The Swede is the player with the highest ranking to be removed from the table for men.

Soderling saved three match points, but his career ended with another unforced error, his 51st of the meeting.

The Swede had 26 years of age lost his service twice a year, but it has been broken nine times Dolgopolov in this game.

“I try to find the weakness of my opponent that he is not comfortable in the game – then if I am likely to hit winners, it’s my game Soderling is one the most powerful on the track, but I was able to read very well service, described Dolgopolov.

“I saw his shots very well, and this has paid off. ”

Dolgopolov told that as a child, his father worked as a trainer with former Ukrainian player Andrei Medvedev, then he would sometimes hit balls with the players when they were training.

“I obviously had some good moments. I can sometimes be annoying for players to play with me. It was a nice way to start a career in tennis. “

If Nadal wins the nervousness as he approached a fourth consecutive triumph in a Grand Slam tournament, it certainly shows.

Rafael Nadal

After his victory of 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 against American qualifier Ryan Sweeting, Thursday at the Australian Open, the Spanish star player seemed equally at ease talking about his next match – against Australia Bernard Tomic 18 years – he seemed to be on the court against Sweeting.

“A little practice tomorrow, rest at the hotel, and perhaps a visit to the aquarium – I go every year. Nothing different, “Nadal said when asked how he would prepare for his showdown on Saturday.

With a shrug and a smile, he added: “If I start to get nervous before a match two days, I have a big problem.”

Nadal has not had significant problems in his most recent Grand Slam tournaments. His victory on Thursday was the 23rd consecutive major events in a series dating back to the first round of the Internationaux de France last year. Since then he has taken home the trophy at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows.

A win in Australia in the coming days, would make him the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four major titles simultaneously.

Tomic, the last Australian in contention, won 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-3 against Spain’s Feliciano Lopez (31st).

Tomic will play now the biggest game of his career since it will probably take place at Rod Laver Arena on Saturday night before 15,000 people who will mostly lined up behind him.

“A lot of things going through my head, but my dream is to see such a thing happen again, hoping it will follow several others throughout my career,” Tomic said the duel coming against Nadal. I will try to put aside my brain … I’ll try to stay relaxed and just play tennis. ”

Swede Robin Soderling, the fourth-seeded men, reached the third round, winning 6-3, 7-6 (1), 6-1 against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. Andy Murray, seeded fifth, had 16 aces in his win against Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko, on account of 6-1, 6-3, 6-3.

In the last game of the evening, the 2006 finalist Marcos Baghdatis continued his journey with a 6-1, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 against Juan Martin del Potro, who has had persistent pain wrist. It’s the same wrist that has bothered last year when he had played just three tournaments.

Argentina’s David Nalbandian, who beat Lleyton Hewitt in five sets in the first round on Tuesday, withdrew during his second round match against Richard Berankis because of fatigue. Berankis was leading 6-1, 6-0, 2-0.

Other seeded players who won in men are Mikhail Youzhny (10th), Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (13th), Marin Cilic (15th) and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (32nd).

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark began its first major tournament as World No. 1 with a 6-3, 6-4 against Argentina’s Gisela Dulko.

He was a first victory this year for the young woman of 20 years. She had lost against Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova in the tournament last week in Sydney and against No. 2 Vera Zvonareva and Belgian Kim Clijsters during exhibition games in Singapore and Hong Kong.

Caroline Wozniacki

Wozniacki did not have to save break points in the first round and successfully converted the only one she has obtained against Dulko.

Argentina, the favorite in two, offered a nice contrast to the Danish in the second set and even tied the game 4-4 in breaking the service of his opponent. Wozniacki however countered on the next game before entering the meeting service.

Venus Williams, No. 5, has passed the first round by virtue of his 6-3, 6-2 to Italy’s Sara Errani.

Justine Henin overcame a slow start to beat India’s Sania Mirza 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. Henin has lost the 2010 final to Serena Williams in Melbourne a couple of weeks after returning to competition, has disposed of a point set in the first set but allowed Mirza to breakage, then win two following games to remove the sleeve.

For his part, Maria Sharapova won her first match at Melbourne Park since she won the title at the Australian Open in 2008, with the Thai Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6-3 on center court.

Sharapova, the former favorite world who missed the Australian Open in 2009 because of a shoulder injury and was eliminated in the first round last year by compatriot Maria Kirilenko, has had trouble with his service and lacked consistency in the second set. After being broken in the first play of the game without registering a single point, Sharapova has won seven consecutive games to take the lead 6-1 1-0.

The Roland Garros champion Francesca Schiavone has seen hard times before finally defeating Spain’s Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-7 (4), 6-2, 6-4.

The sixth-seeded got the chance to service for the match at 5-3 in the third set but was broken. The Italian has quickly replaced and the service broke Parra Santonja in the next game, so to close the books.

In other first-round matches in the women, the No. 20 Kaia Kanepi beat Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 and No. 29 Cibulkova defeated Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-2 6 -7 (4), 6-4. Evgeniya Rodina of Russia eliminated the Australian Olivia Rogowska – who got a bye for the tournament – 6-3, 6-1.

Due to the absence of the defending champion Serena Williams – the victim of a foot injury – Clijsters is considered the favorite to win the title for the women at Melbourne Park.

Real Madrid, winner of Atletico 3-1 thanks to a goal from Cristiano Ronaldo on Thursday night, took a major step towards the semi-finals of the Spanish Cup, 24 hours after his archrival FC Barcelona Betis has atomized (D2) 5-0 with a hat-trick from Lionel Messi.

Mesut Ozil

Real, who made the decision thanks to goals from Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo and Measur Ozil has yet been conducted after the opening goal by Diego Forlan in the 7th minute.

Upset and foolishly encouraged by their fans, Madrid then rushed to the onslaught of goals for Atletico. On one of their many attacks, they logically equalized by Sergio Ramos who took over a corner kick by Di Maria (14th). And with a little more success, Cristiano Ronaldo, author of a tripling in La Liga side Villarreal (4-2), or Di Maria would have to give a deserved Merengues before the break.

After the break, José Mourinho’s men had to wait the hour to take the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo to the inevitable (61st), ideally served by Ozil who closed the festival’s offensive at the last minute Real taking advantage of a defensive error by Atletico.

In the other match of the day, Almeria beat Deportivo La Coruna 1-0, while Villarreal and Sevilla were left on the river score 3 to 3, Wednesday.

Favorite Robin Soderling defeated defending champion Andy Roddick 6-3, 7-5, Sunday to win top honors at the tournament in Brisbane.

Robin Soderling

The Swede has frustrated Roddick with powerful services and return very accurate, completing the tournament without losing a single round.

The U.S. has also doubled its contribution to the victims of devastating floods in the state of Queensland, which Brisbane is the capital. Ten people have died since late November, and about 200,000 others were affected by the disaster. Roddick had agreed to pay $ 100 for each ace he would succeed in the tournament – he won 54.

In the ladies final on Saturday, the victory went to Czech Petra Kvitova, 6-1, 6-3 against Germany’s Andrea Petkovic.

Brazilian striker Ronaldinho said on Thursday it had reached agreement with AC Milan to negotiate his return to a Brazilian club at a press conference in Rio. The midfielder, 30, did not hold within the Italian club.

“I signed an agreement with Milan and now I’m free to continue my life here in Brazil,” said Ronaldinho alongside the Vice-President of the team “Rossonero,” Adriano Galliani, and before dozens of reporters gathered at the Copacabana Palace hotel.

Ronaldinho

But he stressed that “nothing had been defined” to join another club in Brazil.

The negotiations are open between three teams: Flamengo, the most popular club in Rio and Brazil, Palmeiras, a club of Sao Paulo and Gremio Porto Alegre, where he began his career.

The player’s agent and brother Roberto de Assis, said that the future of the attacker “would be defined within a week” during which the proposals of the interested clubs will be assessed.

He said that the agreement with Milan “gives us the freedom to negotiate with clubs in Brazil” but that his brother “will no longer play in any Italian club.”

The family of Milan

For its part, Galliani said: “The Milan has not terminated the contract (…). Ronaldinho Ronaldinho has an agreement with Milan, we’ll see what the best decision for him,” while the Ronaldinho’s contract running until June.

“The time I spent in Milan was wonderful, I am part of the family of Milan and I will continue to be part of it,” said the Brazilian player.

The striker, whose real name is Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, known as Ronaldinho Gaucho, Brazil, began his professional career in 1998 at the age of 18, at Gremio.

He stayed for three seasons before joining for two years with Paris Saint-Germain, his first European club.

In 2003, the Brazilian star goes to FC Barcelona with whom, in five seasons, he won two Spanish championships and a Champions League (2006). He was also elected Ballon d’Or in 2005.

But not sidelined the Catalan club, Ronaldinho signs with AC Milan in 2008.

With the Brazilian team, he won the 2002 World Cup.

Real Madrid, who has managed his perilous trip to the nearby Getafe Monday night (3-2), closing the 17th day of the Championship of Spain, came back within two points of leaders FC Barcelona.

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring on a penalty generous (11e). Özil, on a pass to Di Maria masterful, doubled the lead at 19. Getafe, coached by former Real Madrid star middle, Michel, who fielded four players Monday trained at Real (Codina, Miguel Torres, Mosquera and Parejo) reduced the mark with a shot clear of Parejo (29th).

Cristiano Ronaldo scored two goals

Ronaldo, well served by Benzema put Real to the shelter at 57th. But he still doubted until the end after the new score reduction Getafe signed Albin (85th), just minutes after the exclusion of one of the Real defenders, Arbeloa.

Villarreal, who dominated Almeria (2-0), confirmed its third place with five points ahead of fourth, Valencia, who had repulsed Sunday Espanyol (2-1).

Villarreal, the club probably has the most competed in the game with Barcelona this season, has quietly imposed, with a goal in each period (Catala, 22nd and Borja Valero, 58th).

Mallorca has signed the card of the day (3-0) against Hercules Alicante, with a goal, the third, by the French Michael Pereira (50th). Barca had merely one goal to beat newly promoted Levante Sunday at Camp Nou (2-1).

In the absence of Messi is the connection Pedro Alves who was due to good organization of the club Valencia. First a small festival of Brazilian who was slow to take before serving Pedro country whose shot deceived Reina (1-0, 47th).

At the 59th, which took over Pedro Alves served without calculating and beat Reina with a beautiful curling shot. Less solid than usual behind with a unique central hinge (Abidal, Busquets), Barça was done by surprise Stuani, Valdes who had shot a magnificent volley (80th).

To preserve its last goal lead, Barça rushed to the attack (Villa, 85th, and Alves, 87th). Without success but finally with three points at the end.

Sebastian Vettel, the sacred month last world champion in Formula 1 at age 23, was voted German sportsman of the year by a panel of 1,500 journalists on Sunday in Baden-Baden.

The youngest world champion in F1 history succeeds swimmer Paul Biedermann, distinguished in 2009 after his two world titles in Rome.

The Red Bull driver was clearly ahead with 4288 points the player table tennis Timo Boll (2088 pts) and the new sensation of the golf world, Martin Kaymer (1763 pts).

The title of German sports of the year returned to Maria Riesch, double Olympic champion in alpine skiing in Vancouver, who narrowly edged with 3957 points Queen Magdalena Neuner Biathlon (3921 pts).

Riesch succeeds Steffi Nerius, 2009 world champion in the javelin in Berlin.

The team of the year is no surprise team of German football that took 3rd place 2010 World Cup and enthusiasm in South Africa observers.

The Nationalmannschaft Joachim Loew has been acclaimed with 3436 points and the successor to the distinguished female football team in 2009.

Chairman of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA), Joseph Blatter on Friday launched the idea of a World Cup 2022 in Qatar, in winter, to enjoy the warmer weather.

It also renewed its confidence in Brazil for organizing the World 2014.

Speaking Friday on the eve of the World Cup final between clubs Inter Milan (ITA) and the All Puissant Mazembe (COD) which will be played in Abu Dhabi, Blatter said that “personally” he would prefer that the World 2022 takes place in winter in mild temperatures.

“It’s not easy to achieve,” said President Blatter, and it “could be a problem with the calendar” international. “It’s better to play in a pleasant atmosphere for players and spectators alike,” said Blatter, adding that it was still too early to talk about this deadline and that he had first s’ hold the 2014 and 2018 in Brazil, Russia.

For 2014, Blatter said he believes in Brazil and there is no plan B or C to 2014. “Four years ago, he said on South Africa, I was told that the hotels did not comply, that airports would not be sufficient, and they asked me if we had a plan B or C . Now, as then I say we have no alternative plan. ”

“The plan B is Brazil, Plan C is Brazil. One can not imagine a football continent as South America is not ready. Brazil is a country economically strong, it will Ready.

Public apology

For its part, the general secretary of FIFA, Jerome Valcke, said he was working with the Brazilian football confederation (CBF) on airport facilities and infrastructure to enable supporters to come in “perfect conditions” and that Brazil will actually enter the mouth during the World Cup qualifying draw to be held next July in Rio de Janeiro.

At his news conference, Blatter also made a public apology following his statements last Monday when he was advised to gays and lesbians to abstain from sex during the World Cup in Qatar ” I regret what I said. I did not want to hurt anyone. We are against discrimination. I apologize for that statement. ”

Asked Monday at a press conference in South Africa, on the treatment of gay fans at the forthcoming World Cup in Qatar, a country where homosexuality is punishable by law, Blatter responded on jokingly: “I think they should just abstain from sexual activity.”

Activists for gay rights had immediately responded, demanding an apology to the president of FIFA.

Speaking at last the final of the Club World Championship on Saturday, Blatter praised the Congolese club, which has already “written a new page of history”. No African team had indeed been able during the six previous editions of the Club World Championship to climb in the finals, which have so far always played between Europe and Latin America.

“The Mazembe tomorrow will write a new page in the history of football,” Blatter said. “It’s gonna be a great match. Mazembe against Inter Milan, champions of Europe. A great event,” said Blatter.