Tennis

Fedex shows he has a temper with racquet bash

Fedex shows he has a temper with racquet bashMiami (US), Apr. 4: Swiss tennis player Roger Federer was reduced to a rare bout of racquet-bashing as he was toppled in the semi-finals of the Miami ATP Masters 1000 by Serbian Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic, ranked number three in the world, beat the world number two 3-6 6-2 6-3 in one hour and 46 minutes.

Federer, the 13-time Grand Slam champion who is in search of his first title of 2009, comfortably won the first set as Djokovic found his feet, but could find no answers after that - finishing with 35 unforced errors.

1ST LEAD: Frustrated Federer's smash-and-grab doesn't deter Djokovic

1ST LEAD: Frustrated Federer's smash-and-grab doesn't deter DjokovicMiami - An irate Roger Federer smashed a racket for the first time in memory as the normally calm Swiss stumbled to a 3-6, 6- 2, 6-3 loss against Novak Djokovic in the Miami Masters semi-finals on Friday.

Federer reduced his Wilson to scrap in a flash in the third game of a frustrating final set against the third seed as the Serb claimed a 3-0 lead after winning his sixth straight game in a turnaround.

At one point, Federer lost five of six service games.

Federer frustration boiling over

Federer frustration boiling over Miami - Roger Federer is feeling the natural frustration of a tennis hero whose last title came just shy of six months ago.

The usually solid Swiss smashed his racket at a moment of third-set tension as he went down to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 semi-final loss to Novak Djokovic at the Miami Masters. He last lifted a trophy at his home Swiss Open in Basel on October 20.

Federer, who lost his Australian Open trophy to Rafael Nadal this season, is feeling his former dominance slip.

Federer smash-and-grab fails to halt Djokovic

Federer smash-and-grab fails to halt Djokovic Miami - Irate Roger Federer smashed a racket for the first time in memory as the normally calm Swiss stumbled to a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 loss against Novak Djokovic in the Miami Masters semi-finals on Friday.

Federer reduced his Wilson to scrap in a flash in the third game of a frustrating final set against the third seed as the Serb moved claimed a 3-0 lead after winning his sixth straight game in a turnaround.

At one point, Federer lost five of six service games.

Nadal glad to see the end of American hardcourt run

Nadal glad to see the end of American hardcourt run Miami  - Rafael Nadal eagerly hopped the first available flight back to Europe on Friday after what the Spaniard admits was a brutal, tiring month of March in the US.

The world number 1 lifted a title at Indian Wells over Andy Murray but followed up at Crandon Park with a quarter-final shock at the Miami Masters.

The clay master from Mallorca was hoping to clear his head and rest his body over the weekend before plunging into training next week on his home island prior to the start of the Monte Carlo Masters starting next Easter Sunday.

Del Potro downs sub-par Nadal in Miami upset marathon

Del Potro downs sub-par Nadal in Miami upset marathonMiami  - Desperate Rafael Nadal saved two of three match points with aces but couldn't hold off the momentum of hard-charging Argentine Juan Del Potro, taking a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3) defeat Thursday in the quarter-finals of the Miami Masters.

The three-hour epic handed Del Potro his first victory over Spain's number 1 after three previous defeats. The youngster had not won a single set in the series before stepping onto court in front of an overwhelmingly Latin crowd in South Florida.

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