Roddick, Jankovic take China Open titles

No smashed racket this time, but Andy Roddick did show fans his volatile temper in beating Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-3 Sunday to win the China Open.

After winning the first set and leading the second with an early break, Roddick served a double fault and then botched a shot at the net. That allowed Sela to break back, and Roddick lost his cool.

With a powerful underhand swoosh, the American sent a tennis ball high over the crowd and out of the two-tiered Beijing Tennis Center.

"I didn't break anything," Roddick joked later, alluding to Friday's quarterfinal victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero, when he shattered the head of his racket in a fit of anger.

In the women's final, top-seeded Jelena Jankovic defeated No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2. It was the Serb's second title this season and the seventh of her career. It also made up for losing in last year's final to Agnes Szavay of Hungary.

It was Kuznetsova's fifth final this season — and her fifth loss.

The victory left Jankovic just 21 points behind No. 1 Serena Williams in the WTA rankings. They are both scheduled to play in Stuttgart, Germany, in the next WTA event. Six other 10 top players are also in the field.

Roddick dug deep to defeat Sela, a player ranked 92nd by the ATP — but a clever one who managed to keep many of Roddick's blistering serves in play and then frustrated him with repeated lobs and passing shots from the backhand and forehand.

Roddick failed to close out the match in the second-set tiebreaker. With Roddick serving and leading 6-4, Sela won four straight points to win the tiebreaker. Sela raced to his chair, sat down quickly and clenched his right fist.

"In the back of my mind, I knew I'd played in 38-40 finals and I knew this was his first one," Roddick said. "I knew that had to count for something. I wanted to stay in there and compete, even though he was the hot player for the majority of the day."

Roddick won twice earlier this year, taking a tournament in February in San Jose, Calif., and in March in Dubai. It was his 40th final, and his 26th career ATP title.

Sela is the first Israeli to reach an ATP final since Harel Levy in 2000, although he failed to become the first Israeli winner since Amos Mansdorf in 1993.

Sela managed to relax after a nervous first set, returning better and making Roddick work.

He said he lost concentration in the sixth game of the final set, allowing Roddick to break and take control. Still, he saw consolation in the defeat.

"This helps a lot," Sela said. "It's a lot of confidence that showed I can play with these big players."

Jankovic's victory avenged two losses this season to Kuznetsova, one just a week ago in Tokyo.

"When I came on court I really was motivated and came out with a game plan, especially after playing her last week," said Jankovic, a former top-ranked player.

Though she could replace Williams as No. 1 after next week's tournament in Stuttgart, Jankovic would prefer to be in that spot when the season ends. She also has winning her first grand slam in mind.

"I will work very hard in the offseason, trying to get stronger and fitter and trying to bring my tennis game to the next level," Jankovic said. "Hopefully I can win a grand slam next year."

Italian tennis federation bans Bolelli

Italian tennis player Simone Bolelli was banned by his federation from national team events for skipping last weekend's Davis Cup matches with Latvia.

The 45th-ranked Bolelli instead chose to play tour events in Bangkok, Thailand, and Tokyo this week and next.

Monday's ban prevents Bolelli from playing in the Davis Cup and the Olympics and getting wild cards from his federation for certain tournaments.

Bolelli said he told Italy captain Corrado Barrazzutti well in advance of the Davis Cup that he preferred to work on his fast-court game in Asia.

Italy beat Latvia 3-2 in a Europe-Africa zone relegation playoff in Montecatini, led by 28th-ranked Andreas Seppi, No. 72 Fabio Fognini and No. 76 Potito Starace.

US ousted from Davis Cup as Nadal beats Roddick

The U.S. reign as Davis Cup champion ended Sunday, with a commanding performance by a player having a commanding year.

Buoyed by the cheers of a home crowd in a bullring, Rafael Nadal played the role of accomplished matador to the fullest, defeating Andy Roddick 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 Sunday to send Spain to the final for the sixth time.

Nadal, a master on clay, dropped to his knees and pumped his fists after giving his country an insurmountable lead in the best-of-five format.

"It's one of the nicest sensations you can experience in your career," he said.

Spain will play for the title in November against Argentina, which defeated Russia 3-2 in a semifinal in Buenos Aires. Juan Martin Del Potro beat Igor Andreev in the deciding match.

Nadal said he nearly didn't play Sunday because an MRI scan a day earlier showed a strained buttock muscle.

In the finale before 20,000 fans at Las Ventas arena, Feliciano Lopez defeated Sam Querrey 7-6 (3), 7-6 (4) in a match that had no bearing to complete a 4-1 victory.

Nadal was playing in Spain for the first time since capturing the top ranking. Nadal won the French Open, Wimbledon and the Olympic gold medal this year and ended Roger Federer's record 237 weeks at No. 1.

"It was one of my most emotional matches of the past few months," Nadal said. "This was a weekend I will always remember in my career."

Nadal also beat Roddick four years ago in Seville to help Spain land its second title.

"What Rafa did today deserves full credit," Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario said. "He consumed every point."

Nadal picked Roddick apart with an array of shots. He broke Roddick five times, saved all seven break points and served eight aces. He won on his sixth match point by slicing a backhand winner across court from deep behind the baseline.

"I don't think you could draw up a tougher scenario than playing Nadal away in front of this crowd," said Roddick, who fell to 0-7 on clay against top-10 players. "It's probably the toughest match you can think of. Even Roger on grass, at least you can serve and the points are a little quicker."

Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion who is ranked No. 8, was blanked in a set for the first time in 22 Davis Cup series. He fell to 0-5 in must-win Davis Cup matches and 0-4 against players ranked higher than he is. Known for his big serve, Roddick had only eight aces, with four coming in the next-to-last game.

"He's the best clay-courter of all time and I'm not that good of a clay-courter," Roddick said. "He wasn't leaving any balls short; he was kind of going for his shots."

Nadal and David Ferrer led Spain's sweep of opening singles Friday. The U.S., a 32-time Davis Cup champ, earned its point from Saturday's doubles victory by Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan.

Roddick ventured to the net but the strategy did not yield much against an opponent as savvy as Nadal, who has lost only twice in his past 117 clay matches.

"It was high risk, high reward," Roddick said. "I don't think there was much of a chance for me to sit back and trade punches with him from the baseline."

Nadal opened the semifinal Friday with a victory over Sam Querrey, a Davis Cup rookie who replaced James Blake, before David Ferrer rallied past Roddick in five sets. The Americans won Saturday's doubles, with Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan downing Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.

The U.S. had played 10 straight series with the same group, which was also missing Bryan's twin brother, Bob.

"It was a great Spanish team and a huge task coming here," U.S. captain Patrick McEnroe said. "I think we even made Rafa sweat a little bit on Friday. We walk out of here with our heads held pretty high."

On Sunday, Nadal set up a triple-break chance in the eighth game in the first set. He then hit a forehand down the line to break for a 4-3 lead. The crowd became charged up after Nadal rolled on the clay in vain to reach a drop shot.

In the 10th game, Roddick had a double-break chance. He flubbed the first one before Nadal delivered a forehand slam at the net, then closed things out with his third ace.

Roddick was exasperated after a 12-shot rally in the third game of the second set finished when Nadal hit a backhand into the corner. A return winner set up a double-break chance, which Nadal converted with a backhand.

Nadal caught the American going the other way with a volley to save a break chance in the sixth and Nadal closed the second set as he did the first — with an ace.

Roddick halted a seven-game slide by taking the opening game of the third set but could only let out a roar after Nadal saved a triple-break chance by the American, whose serve-and-volley approach was being picked apart by Nadal.

McEnroe offered only a chuckle to Roddick during the changeover with his player down 3-2 and the crowd chanting Roddick's name.

Nadal was unable to break Roddick one last time in the ninth game. The American saved five match points before Nadal eventually clinched the victory.

In Buenos Aires, Del Potro won the decisive match 6-4, 6-2, 6-1. Russia's Nikolay Davydenko had evened the score at 2-2 when he beat David Nalbandian 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2), 6-0.

It will be Argentina's third appearance in the Davis Cup final and its first as host. In 2006, Argentina lost to Russia, and in 1981 the team fell to the U.S.

Serena Williams to serve up memoir in 2009

A memoir by Serena Williams will be released in 2009 by Grand Central Publishing, which beat out a handful of other publishers bidding for the life story of the No. 1 ranked women's tennis player.

"Serena Williams is one of the world's most remarkable athletes," Grand Central editor Karen Kosztolnyik said Tuesday in a statement. "We've watched her rise to No. 1 despite physical and emotional setbacks, and her hard work and determination have inspired legions of fans young and old. Serena will give her memoir a strong motivational slant."

Financial terms for the book, currently untitled, were not disclosed, although a publishing official with knowledge of the negotiations said bidding reached at least $1.3 million. The official, citing the confidentiality of the negotiations, declined to be identified.

Williams, 26, has won nine Grand Slam titles and, with sister Venus Williams, won a gold medal in women's doubles at the recent Olympics in Beijing.

Grand Central Publishing is a division of the Hachette Book Group.

Nadal beats Querrey for 1-0 Davis Cup lead

Top-ranked Rafael Nadal rallied to defeat Sam Querrey in four sets Friday to give Spain a 1-0 lead over the United States in their Davis Cup semifinal.

Nadal overcame Querrey's booming serve and early momentum before settling in to dictate the match on his favorite clay surface, winning 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening singles at the Las Ventas bullfighting arena.

Eighth-ranked Andy Roddick faced No. 5 David Ferrer in the second match Friday.

The 39th-ranked Querrey, making his Davis Cup debut as a late substitute for James Blake, came out strongly and took the first set in a tiebreaker after Nadal hit a shot into the net.

But 74 unforced errors cost Querrey as Nadal won the second set on his second break point to even the match.

"He got himself fired up and got the crowd into it," Querrey said.

The Spaniard broke Querrey two more times to close out the match.

Querrey had 17 aces and 76 winners. Nadal had 59 winners and 35 unforced errors.

"It was very difficult," Nadal said. "Never in my life have I had so many service points scored against me on a clay court. It's very important for us to start with a victory."

Spain, which hasn't lost a clay-court Davis Cup series in nine years, is looking to reach its sixth Davis Cup final. The U.S., winner of a record 32 Davis Cup titles, has assembled a makeshift squad following the withdrawals of Blake and doubles player Bob Bryan. The winner will face either Argentina or Russia in the final.

The Americans are 29-44 when dropping the first singles match.

Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez will team up in Saturday's doubles against American pair Mike Bryan and Mardy Fish, who is filling for Bob Bryan. Nadal plays Roddick and Ferrer faces Querrey in Sunday's reverse singles.

Querrey's previous record against left-handed players (3-5) and on clay (5-9) didn't bode well, especially since he was up against a player who came in with a 155-14 career record and 22 titles on the surface.

The 6-foot-6 American started well with an ace to take the opening game. Nadal, playing for the first time in Spain since winning Wimbledon and Olympic gold, finally had the home crowd cheering after smacking a winner down the line to set up the tiebreaker.

The 20-year-old Querrey took a 4-1 lead in the tiebreaker after serving a 134 mph serve down the middle. Nadal battled back to 5-4 before double-faulting, and Querrey closed out the set two points later.

"It was very difficult for me to return balls and control points," said Nadal, who improved to 9-2 on clay in the competition. "Maybe with the altitude it made it a little bit easier for him ... to score points much easier than normally on a clay court."

Querrey broke Nadal for the first, and only, time to open the second set. The Spaniard, who has lost only twice in his last 116 clay matches, broke back for 2-2.

"With a 2-0 lead, if maybe I had made another shot here or there or if he missed a shot ... I could have gone up 3-0 and made it tougher for him to come back," Querrey said. "But he doesn't go away."

Both players held serve until the 10th game, when Querrey missed two straight backhands and Nadal evened the match at 1-set apiece.

Nadal took control in the third set, breaking Querrey in the fourth game with a crosscourt forehand and celebrating with a running jump and fist pump.

In the fourth set, Querrey saved two break points in the seventh game and held for 4-3. But his serve was wilting in the afternoon sun, and a double-fault in the ninth game preceded a backhand into the net to give Nadal the decisive break.

Blake left off US Davis Cup roster against Spain

James Blake was left off the defending champion U.S. Davis Cup team because of exhaustion and replaced by Sam Querrey on Tuesday.

Querrey was chosen ahead of Blake for the best-of-five series against Spain on outdoor clay Sept. 19-21 in Madrid.

Andy Roddick and doubles specialists Bob and Mike Bryan round out the U.S. team selected by captain Patrick McEnroe.

"James is just exhausted physically and mentally after a grueling summer," McEnroe said. "He said he needed a break and we respect that. This is also a great opportunity for Sam, who has had a solid year, strong results on clay and has been a loyal practice partner for this team."

Last year, Blake teamed with Roddick and the Bryans to lead the Americans their record 32nd Davis Cup title.

Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario selected top-ranked Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez.

Querrey was listed on the official nomination released by the International Tennis Federation, but it noted it was still awaiting confirmation on his eligibility. Querrey, ranked No. 40, has never played in the Davis Cup.

Last week, McEnroe said Blake would be on the team with Roddick and the Bryan brothers for a record 11th straight time.

Nicolas Almagro was listed as a reserve for Spain, while 16th-ranked Tommy Robredo was left off the team.

Nadal, who lost to Andy Murray in the semifinals of the U.S. Open on Sunday, may get a few days rest before joining the team.

"He lost a match, but the tiredness and stress are within the usual limits," Sanchez Vicario said of Nadal, who may not attend practice Saturday. "He is very enthusiastic about this tie."

Argentina will host Russia on outdoor clay in Buenos Aires in the other semifinal series.

Sixth-ranked Nikolay Davydenko of Russia will play alongside Igor Andreev, Dmitry Tursunov and Igor Kunitsyn. Marat Safin was again passed over.

Argentina will counter with David Nalbandian, Juan Martin Del Potro, Agustin Calleri and Guillermo Canas.

In the World Group playoffs, U.S. Open champion Roger Federer will lead Switzerland, and Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic will guide Serbia.

Federer rebounded from losses in the French Open and Wimbledon finals to win his 13th Grand Slam title on Monday at the U.S. Open — one shy of Pete Sampras' all-time record.

Federer will play against visiting Belgium on indoor hardcourts in Lausanne, and Murray will help Britain against Austria on the grass at Wimbledon.

Murray will team with brother Jamie Murray, Alex Bogdanovic and Ross Hutchins against Austria's Jurgen Melzer, Alexander Peya, Martin Fischer and Julian Knowle.

Djokovic, who lost to Federer in the U.S. Open semifinals, will team with Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki and Nenad Zimonjic on outdoor hardcourts against Slovakia.

The Davis Cup final will be played Nov. 21-23.

Federer beats Murray for 5th US Open, 13th major

Back at his best, back at the top, Roger Federer beat Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 Monday to win his fifth consecutive U.S. Open championship and 13th Grand Slam 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 final, and Federer had no trouble this time.

Federer Reaction (US Open 2008 - Igor Andreev)

Rain postpones US Open women's final until Sunday

Serena Williams waited six years to return to the U.S. Open final. What's another day? The title match between two-time champion Williams and first-time Grand Slam finalist Jelena Jankovic was postponed from Saturday until Sunday night because of heavy rain brought by Tropical Storm Hanna.

It's the first time since 1974 that the U.S. Open women's championship match was not played on a Saturday. That year, Billie Jean King beat Evonne Goolagong on Monday; Goolagong's semifinal had been suspended because of rain on Friday and wasn't completed until Sunday.

Williams-Jankovic originally was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Saturday, but about 3 1/2 hours before that, organizers announced they were shifting it. Eventually, the tournament announced play will start at 9 p.m. Sunday.

The men's final was rescheduled from Sunday afternoon to Monday at 5 p.m. It's the first Monday final for the men at Flushing Meadows since 1987, when Ivan Lendl defeated Mats Wilander.

It will be Williams' first U.S. Open final since 2002, when she beat older sister Venus.

After beating Dinara Safina in straight sets Friday in the semifinals, Williams was asked if she was concerned that forecasts were calling for rain Saturday.

"I don't know if we'll play tomorrow, but I'm ready to play tomorrow," Williams said Friday. "Hopefully we can. If not, I'll be ready for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday — doesn't matter."

She is seeded fourth, Jankovic second, and the winner is assured of moving up to No. 1 in the rankings.

Saturday's rain also forced play to be called off in the men's semifinal between No. 1 Rafael Nadal and No. 6 Andy Murray. That was to resume Sunday afternoon, with Murray ahead 6-2, 7-6 (5), 2-3.

Four-time defending champion Roger Federer did manage to finish his semifinal, which started earlier. He beat Novak Djokovic 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

WTA Tour allows on-court coaching next year

The coaches of women's tennis players will be able to visit them on the court during matches starting next year on the WTA Tour.

The Tour's board approved the long-discussed change last week, and the decision was announced Wednesday during the U.S. Open. Tour CEO Larry Scott says the main motivation was for television, because fans enjoy gaining insight into the sport. Coaches must agree to wear microphones to have on-court access to players.

Coaches will be allowed one visit per set. They also will be able to come on court when an opponent is taking a medical break.