4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2008
TENNIS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Roger Federer, of Switzerland, celebrates after defeating Andy Murray, of Britain, in three sets to win the men's finals championship match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Monday in New York. Federer is the first man to win five consecutive U.S. Open Championships since the 1920s.
Roger Federer, of Switzerland, returns a shot to Andy Murray, of Britain, during the men's final championship match at the U.S. Open tennis tournament on Monday in New York.
Federer defeats Murray, wins fifth U.S. Open
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — No matter what anyone else said or thought, Roger Federer knew he was still capable of elite tennis.
Knew he was still capable of winning Grand Slam titles.
Knew he was still Roger Federer.
Back at his best, back at the top of tennis, Federer easily beat Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 Monday to win his fifth consecutive U.S. Open championship and 13th major title overall.
Federer is the first man since Bill Tilden in the 1920s to win the tournament that many times in a row. He also moved within one major championship of tying Pete Sampras' career record of 14.
The victory might have come as a bit of a relief to Federer, who has struggled during a lackluster-only-for him season. He lost in the semifinals at the Australian Open,
and to nemesis Rafael Nadal in the finals of the French Open and Wimbledon, meaning Federer was on the verge of his first year since 2002 without a major title.
But Murray upset Nadal in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows to reach his first Grand Slam championship match, and Federer had no trouble this time.
"I'm not as nervous any more, like in my first final," Federer said during a prematch TV interview.
Perhaps he was trying to plant a seed of doubt in Murray's head. The youngster was standing around the corner, waiting to walk out onto the court, probably already thinking about what it would feel like to be on that stage, with those stakes, against that opponent.
much like the college student he otherwise might be if not so talented at tennis.
With his bushy hair peeking out from under his gray-and-white baseball cap, unshaven whiskers on his face, and that loping gait, the 21-year-old Murray looks
Federer, coincidentally, was the same age when he played in his first Grand Slam final, back in 2003 at Wimbledon. Except Federer won that, and has kept winning major championship matches against everyone except Nadal.
On Monday, Murray stood about 10 feet behind the baseline to return serves, exactly the way he did in upsetting Nadal in their two-day, rain-interrupted semifinal over the weekend. And Murray did display flashes of the get-to-every-ball defense he used against Nadal, including one pretty flick of a lob by Federer with his back to the net.
But Federer, who might have benefited from an extra day to rest because his semifinal wasn't affected by Tropical Storm Hanna, was simply too much for Murray.
Too good.
Too experienced.
Too, well, Federeresque.
At only one juncture did Murray really throw a scare into his opponent on this day, taking 11 of 12 points to go from 2-0 down in the second set to 2-all and love-40 on Federer's serve.
Federer saved the first of those break points, and on the second, they engaged in a 14-stroke rally that ended with Murray missing a backhand. TV replays, though, showed one of Federer's shots during the rally should have been called out — and had it been, Murray would have had a break and a 3-2 lead in the set.
But there was no call, and no reprieve, because Federer stayed steady enough to save the third break point there and go on to hold serve.
In the next game, Murray began flexing his right leg, clutching at that knee and looking up at his substantial support group in the guest box, a gathering that included his mother, his two coaches and his two fitness trainers.
Federer went on to break Murray at love in the last game of the second set, closing it on a 10-stroke point that was a thing of beauty. First, Federer extended the point with some superb defense, and then he ended it with a forehand passing winner.
Federer turned to his guest box and bellowed, punching down with his right fist.
This is how he is supposed to play.
This is how these Grand Slam finals are supposed to go.
Federer then won nine of the first 10 points in the third set, including a break at love, en route to a 5-0 lead.
Only when Federer served for the match, at 5-1 in the third, did he show a modicum of mediocrity, getting broken when he dumped a backhand into the net.
Federer broke right back in the next game when Murray put a forehand into the net. Federer dropped his racket and fell to the blue court and rolled around with glee.
It turned to merely delay the inevitable.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NFL
Huard to replace injured Croyle; Chiefs hope for quick recovery
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Brodie Croyle has a separated shoulder, and Damon Huard will start at quarterback this week against Oakland, Kansas City Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said Monday.
"He's not done for the year," Edwards said. "It's week to week."
"They're still looking at it and they're going to send it off to some other (medical experts) but that's what it looks like."
Brodie Coyle, of the Kansas City Chiefs,
has an injured shoulder from Sunday's game.
The Chiefs were left with only two quarter-
backs: Haard and Thiggen.
Croyle was injured when thrown to the ground in the third quarter of New England's 17-10 victory on Sunday, a nightmare game for quarterbacks. The Patriots' Tom Brady, last season's league MVP, will undergo season-ending knee surgery because of a hit by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard in the first quarter. On Monday the league said the hit was clean.
Croyle was hurt when he was sacked and slammed to the turf on his shoulder. He tried to throw on the sideline but immediately indicated he was through for the day.
Huard came off the bench and had the Chiefs on the Patriots' 5-yard line when they ran out of downs. This leaves the Chiefs with only two quarterbacks: Huard and Tyler Thigpen. They will probably be in the market for a third quarterback until Covy returns.
"We might bring in a few. We're kind of huddling up. We haven't really talked about names or anything like that," Edwards said.
Huard, 35, has come to the rescue of injured Chiefs quarterbacks more than once. The 12-year veteran is less mobile than Croyle and probably won't be asked to execute as many bootlegs and rollouts in Kansas City's new offense.
"I can do some of that. Well see. Every week I think our game plan's going to be a little different," Huard said. "That's what's different about this year. I think we're going to have a new plan of attack every week. Whether it's me or Brodie or Tyler, I think we'll be able to execute it just fine."
With Huard at the controls, the Chiefs came up just short of what would have been a monumental
upset. Huard completed a 68-yard pass to Devard Darling, who was tackled at the Patriots 5 with 53 seconds left. But four straight tries to get into the end zone failed, and the heavily favored Patriots escaped with a seven-point win.
"It was so close. And so frustrating there at the end that we couldn't punch it in," Huard said. "Man, we'll learn from it. We'll grow from it and hopefully build on it."
Huard also came off the bench in 2006 when Trent Green was injured in the season opener. He more than held his own, going 5-3 in eight games started, throwing for 11 touchdowns and only one interception.
He beat out Croyle in training camp in 2007, got hurt and was replaced by Croyle, and wound up making 10 starts altogether after Croyle was injured.
He said he had talked with Crovle on Monday.
"I don't know what's going on as of this week," Huard said. "Brodie is mentally very strong and very tough. I know he's disappointed, but he'll battle through this. He's always come back. He's a fast healer. He's a real tough kid. He grew up in a tough place and I think he'll be fine."
Nevertheless, Croyle's tendency to get hurt is growing more worrisome to the rebuilding Chiefs. If he's out for any length of time, it could be a devastating setback long-term.