Andre Villas-Boas is "Almost" Ready To Join Spurs

Andre Villas-Boas Is Set To Join Tottenham Hotspur On £16m Deal As He Was Sacked By Chelsea On his Poor Coaching.Andre Villas-Boas will sign a £16million deal at Tottenham just five months after being ditched by their London rivals Chelsea. The former Blues manager will lose £11m from his Stamford Bridge pay-off for taking the job but won't mind if he can get back at his former employers by succeeding with their rivals.Spurs chairman Daniel Levy could ease the pressure on the 34-year-old boss by appointing Tim Sherwood as the director of football, report The Sun.Sherwood played for Tottenham between 1999 and 2003 and helped the club reach the 2002 League Cup final.Villas-Boas left Chelsea in March after alienating fans and players alike and seeing the Blues embark on a poor run of form.He left them on the brink of elimination in the Champions League - before Di Matteo rescued Chelsea and took them to victory, thereby preventing his new club from entering this season.The Portuguese manager wants to rebuild his reputation after his disastrous spell in west London.His appointment is expected to be officially announced on Tuesday.Villas-Boas has told Levy he will not make the same errors which saw him fail at Chelsea, his man-management style seeing senior players take a dislike to him.He will have much to do to emulate Harry Redknapp, who was the first manager to take Tottenham into the Champions League

Euro Final: Spain vs Italy Pic's

West-Indies Wins Two Match T20 Series

Chris Gayle was Man of the Match for his 85 off 52 balls in the first Twenty20 against New Zealand in Florida

West-Indies Clean Sweeps Two T20 Matches Series Against New-Zealand.Chris Gayle provided the substance, yet again, Dwayne Bravo provided the late blast, and Sunil Narine ended New Zealand's chase before it could even begin. West Indies completed their second big win over New Zealand to take the Florida and Twenty20 leg of the series 2-0. Already weakened by injuries to key players, including captain Ross Taylor, New Zealand had no answer to West Indies' combination of power, explosiveness and intrigue.Gayle threatened to cause as much damage as he had on Saturday before Nathan McCullum restricted him to 53, but Bravo's burst ensured West Indies had another substantial total to defend. Narine, who had gone for some runs on Saturday, made a return to his miserly and productive ways from the IPL, picking up 4 for 12.New Zealand were much more disciplined with the ball today than they had been in the first Twenty20, but Doug Bracewell proved the weak link once again. In the absence of Kieron Pollard - rested after hurting his shoulder in the field on Saturday - it was Gayle who delivered again, after another slow start.Gayle didn't face his first delivery till the third over, and when he did, he went on to play out a maiden to Kyle Mills. With Gayle intent on taking his time, Dwayne Smith falling early and Johnson Charles easing off, West Indies went through a period of only one boundary in 24 balls.Even that four was a thick edge off Gayle's bat to the third man rope. Bracewell had removed Smith with his first delivery, but West Indies were to regain momentum in his second over, the eighth of the innings. Charles swatted a full delivery over long-on, Gayle pulled a slow bouncer over deep square leg and turned one for four past short fine leg.New Zealand managed to pull things back again, conceding only 26 in the next four overs and dismissing Charles. But Bracewell came back into the attack, and Gayle took toll again, powering consecutive sixes over long-on and reaching his fifty with a slice over extra cover for four.The momentum was to change sides once again when McCullum bowled Gayle after a missed heave and had Lendl Simmons caught at deep square leg to leave West Indies on 124 for 4 after 16 overs. Enter Dwayne Bravo, after Darren Sammy and before Marlon Samuels. Bravo swung his first ball, from Tim Southee, over wide long-off for six, and hit three more in the next three overs as West Indies took 53 off the last four overs.In hindsight, Bravo needn't have bothered, given the way New Zealand crumbled against Narine. Struggling to pick him in the face of a tall asking-rate, Guptill skied Narine to extra cover in his first over. Next ball, Rob Nicol walked past a flighted carrom ball to be stumped. Kane Williamson, leading New Zealand in place of Taylor, managed to run himself out in the next over.Tim Southee, promoted to No. 3, holed out off his fifth ball to give Samuel Badree his maiden international wicket. Narine signed off his first spell of three overs with his third wicket, bowling Dean Brownlie after the batsmen backed away and missed. New Zealand had limped to 43 for 5 after nine overs, and the game was as good as over.

West-Indies Score : 177 for 5 (Gayle 53, Bravo 35*, McCullum 2-19) 

New-Zealand Score : 116 (Narine 4-12)

England Wins 2 in 2 ODI Matches

Ian Bell made passed 50 for the third time in his last four ODI innings 

England Won The 1ST And Now The 2ND ODI As Bell and Bopara star in simple chase.It is one of the ironies of England's recent resurgence in all formats of the game that, for all their meticulous planning, two of the crucial ingredients of their success have come through luck. Just as it was only the sacking of Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores as captain that brought Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss together as captain and coach, so it has only been the "retirement" of Pietersen from limited-overs international cricket that presented another chance to Ian Bell as an ODI batsman.It is not just luck, of course. It is how England have adjusted to circumstance and overcome the obstacles that have arisen. But it remains true that, had Pietersen not departed the England limited-overs set-up recently, it is most unlikely that Bell would have returned to the top of the England order.Bell has certainly embraced his opportunity. Since returning to the ODI side, he has contributed scores of 126, 53, 41 and now 75 and played a significant role in England not only taking a 2-0 lead in this five-match series, but extending their unbeaten record to eight successive victories in completed ODIs this year. It equals England's best run of ODI results and sustains their chance of leapfrogging Australia to become the No. 1 ODI side; a position they will assume if they win this series 5-0. That will also make them the first team to hold No. 1 rankings in all three forms of the game. This was the first ODI in which they had beaten Australia at the Oval since 1997.Here Bell showed not just his class - a straight six off the bowling of Shane Watson quite majestic - but also his composure and maturity. Against an attack containing two men bowling in excess of 90 mph, he had time, confidence and the range of stokes required. He slog-swept David Hussey, cut Watson, swept Xavier Doherty and drove Mitchell Johnson with power. He looked a high-class player, quite at home on the ODI stage.Ravi Bopara also enjoyed an excellent match. Having contributed a miserly five overs and taken the key wicket of Michael Clarke, pushing indeterminately at one outside off stump, he produced an admirably calm and increasingly assured innings of 82 to take England to the brink of a comfortable victory.Clarke briefly created some uncertainly in the England ranks. He ended Bell's innings with his first delivery - the batsmen attempting to cut a delivery that was too full for the shot - and then saw Eoin Morgan adjudged leg before just two balls later. Hot Spot, which showed (on the third umpire's television, anyway) the faintest of touches on Morgan's inside edge, reprieved the batsman. England were never seriously troubled again and cruised to victory with six wickets and 4.2 overs in hand.But Clarke's senior seamers let him down. Mitchell Johnson, perhaps rusty having bowled just six List A overs since sustaining a foot injury in November, came into the side due to Pat Cummins' withdrawal with a side strain, but donated three no-balls in his first two overs, with Alastair Cook and Bell taking advantage to thrash two of the resulting free-hits through mid-off for four. Brett Lee also donated five wides down the leg side in his second over. Only Clint McKay, who beat Cook with a good one that swing back in to trap the England captain leg before, and Watson, who might have had Bell caught for 70 had David Warner, at point, been able to hold on to a diving chance, threatened to stem the tide.Nor did Australia score enough runs. Winning first use of a good batting pitch, they were indebted to half-centuries from Shane Watson and George Bailey but would reflect that they fell perhaps 25 runs short of par in such conditions.Watson lived dangerously for much of his innings and, apart from edging the ball just past his own stumps (on 2 and 30), was dropped by Jonathan Trott, at gully, on 8. He also survived a run-out chance on 47 - had Ian Bell, at mid-on, hit with his throw Watson would have been out - and two decisions that were referred to the third umpire for review.But if Watson was somewhat fortunate, Australia were grateful for his sense of urgency. His top-order colleagues struggled for fluency and, after David Warner had top-edged a pull to square leg, Peter Forrest, having scored only two from his first 17 deliveries, was brilliantly caught down the leg side. The departure of Clarke and the introduction of Graeme Swann and Bopara, saw Australia make only 24 in 10 overs and 53 in 18 in mid-innings as Bailey, in particular, became bogged down.The pressure told on Watson, whose final 10 runs occupied 25 balls, and who, in attempting to loft Graeme Swann over the top, succeeded only in gifting a catch to deep mid-wicket.Bailey - who scored only 26 from his first 61 balls - eventually found some momentum and, in partnership with the more dynamic Hussey added 78 in 13 overs before Finn, in his follow through, ran out the latter with a superb throw with just one stump to aim at.That wicket stalled Australia's hopes of some late-innings acceleration. Bailey's lavish drive was beaten by some inswing, before Matthew Wade's attempt to scoop one over the keeper's head resulted only in a simple catch to short fine leg.But England were far from their best with the ball or in the field. England's bowlers, missing James Anderson who was absent with a groin strain, donated eight wides, two no-balls and numerous deliveries that drifted on to the pads. Apart from dropping Watson, Bailey was also missed on 52, a tough chance offered to Tim Bresnan off Graeme Swann at deep midwicket, and could have been run out on 55 had Bopara hit from short distance. Lee was also dropped on 2 and 17, from the final ball of the innings, after Morgan, at long on, failed to cling on to tough chances.In an odd way, however, England might find it encouraging that they could play so far below their best and still ease to victory against the No. 1 ranked ODI side.

Australia's Score : 251 for 7 (Watson 66, Hussey 65, Bresnan 2-50)

England's Score : 252 for 4 (Bopara 82, Bell 75)

Euro 2012 Final: Spain Thrashes Italy By 4-0

Spain have been crowned European champions, breaking a host of records in the process, smashing Italy 4-0 in the final in Kiev.

Spain Has Won 3RD Straight Major Title As Spain Defeated Italians By 4-0. Goals By David Silva and Jordi Alba in the first half gave Spain a convincing lead. Fernando Torres and fellow substitute Juan Mata added goals in the last six minutes.Italy’s task was tough enough with 11 players, and it became impossible with just 10 after the 64th minute. All its substitutes were used when midfielder Thiago Motta, who had only been on the pitch for seven minutes, was taken off due to injury.The victory lifted Spain to a record third straight major title, after winning Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. The hat trick of titles is an unprecedented feat for a European team, as is successfully defending the championship.Spain even allowed Italy the majority of first-half possession, yet its trademark quick passing game was lethal when required.Spain captain Iker Casillas was outstanding in keeping Italy’s attack at bay for his 10th consecutive clean sheet in tournament knockout matches.The victory was the most comprehensive in a European Championship final, beating West Germany’s 3-0 win over the Soviet Union in 1972.It was also a perfect response to Spain’s critics, who said the world and European champion had become boring.Possession was kept with endless back-and-forth passes to deny opponents the ball and stifle games, not win them, the detractors said.But Spain answered by playing its best and slickest football at Euro 2012 when most was at stake.Sergio Ramos and Xavi Hernandez had already threatened Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon’s goal when Spain took the lead in the 14th minute.Andres Iniesta’s incisive forward pass to find Cesc Fabregas was superb. Fabregas drifted behind defender Giorgio Chiellini and surged to the byline, drawing Buffon to his near post.Silva waited eight yards (meters) out to head a crisp chip back from Fabregas into the net.Spain then increased its lead just four minutes before the break.Hernandez had been below his usual high standard at Euro 2012, but he put a weighted pass into Alba’s stride as the left-back burst past four Italian defenders to slip his shot past Buffon.The great Italian ‘keeper also witnessed a master class from his friend and opposite number Casillas, who was on a winning Spanish side for the 100th time.Casillas has not conceded a goal in a knockout match since Zinedine Zidane scored for France in a 3-1 win, which knocked Spain out of the 2006 World Cup in the second round. At 1-0, Casillas twice stretched to tip crossed balls to safety, as Daniele De Rossi and then Mario Balotelli seemed poised to head goalwards.Casillas also twice went low to save shots from Antonio Cassano before Alba’s goal put Spain into its comfort zone.Cassano was replaced at halftime by Antonio Di Natale, who has scored the only goal Spain conceded at Euro 2012  a 1-1 draw to open its Group C campaign in Gdansk, Poland.Di Natale quickly unsettled Spain, heading just over before forcing Casillas into a double save when released into space by Andrea Pirlo’s clever pass.However, Motta lasted just five minutes before he appeared to pull his right hamstring and left in obvious pain.Spain cruised through the second half, to cries of “Ole” from its fans, before inflicting further agony on Italy.When Italy surrendered the ball in its half, Xavi collected and quickly found Torres to slide his shot past Buffon and inside the far post in the 84th minute.Minutes later, Juan Mata came off the bench like Torres, and took his Chelsea teammate’s pass to score into an Italian goal left unguarded yet again. It was his first shot of the tournament, and Spain’s final goal.

Andy Murray in 4th round of Wimbledon

Andy Murray didn't just defeat beat Marcos Baghdatis, he beat the mayor of Merton. The local borough’s 11pm curfew snapped down halfway through the final game of his 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1 victory but he narrowly made it through this unprecedented race against time.Like Cinderella trying to find the way home before her carriage turns back into a pumpkin, Murray rushed through the final set in just 29 minutes to squeak through into the fourth round. Never before has a tennis player gone up against the clock in the same way.Murray may hate being called a drama queen, but there’s no doubt he’s a magnet for drama. At the final changeover, he didn’t sit down in an effort to get the job done before the guillotine fell. In the end, the match finished at 11.02pm, beating the record of 10.58pm set by Novak Djokovic two years ago.“They [the tournament organisers] did a good job,” Murray said afterwards. “It said on the screen even if it hasn’t finished it can’t go past 11pm. I broke and then I thought we were done. I didn’t sit down at the final change of ends. I don’t know what the rules are, whether the tournament gets a fine or whatever, because it hasn’t happened before.”The Centre Court roof has been a curiosity in the three years since its introduction in 2009, but this summer it has become almost as much a participant in the drama as the players.There have been a number of judgment calls made by the referee’s office, and not all of them have turned out ideally. Such, for instance, as the decision to play the entirety of Friday under the roof because of the threat of rain, even though the outside courts were carrying on quite happily.

Ferrer,Tsonga,Del Potro,Fish,Schiavone,Shevodova,Vinci in 4th round of Wimblidon

David FERRER beat Andy RODDICK 2-6, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3He's holding a couple of hours Andy Roddick, David Ferrer then climbs into the chair. Yet the Spaniard, seeded No. 7 in the tournament, had not entered the field in the best way: First batch at a net benefit of Roddick 6-2 and game that seemed would be channeled to the path of an American very agile even in displacements. The watershed of the race, however, where Ferrer on September 2, just ahead of a break, do you recall at 4-4 and drag to the tie-break: here, Ferrer, cancels his service on a ball sets to Roddick and then closes 10 points to 8. Bingo. From that moment the Valencian can not find the key in response to the services of Roddick and, simultaneously, the U.S. loses the physical reaction that was shown in the first two sets. The result is that Ferrer carries away so the third, fourth and the passage of the turn. For him now to be the challenge with Del Potro.Interesting game.

Joe-Wilfried TSONGA beat Lukas LACKO 6-4, 6-3, 6-3There was no precedent between the two: Joe-Wilfried Tsonga opens the record by beating Lukas Lacko without hesitation, number 60 of the ATP ranking, Mardy Fish to reach the second round of the Championships. First three service games without conceding 15 for Lacko, but in the fourth Slovak concentrates a double fault and two unforced errors to give the break to Tsonga, good at putting your feet in the corridor to the winner with straight lungolinea. French enough to defend a break point with the first heavy (and successful) to win the first game: the second will have a very similar scenario with a break at 2-2 - Tsonga good to wait for the error Lacko harassment with the slice - and at 5-4. Third set with fast rosters until 4-3, when the second of Lacko Tsonga attacks and break-point on the exchange asleep before closing the charging straight ahead.Tsonga lands to the second week on the fields of the All England Club after beating a former number 1 (Lleyton Hewitt) and sold one set to the Spaniard Garcia-Lopez: The explosive curtain on the tournament is Nadal for French - the fifth head series - an opportunity too great to at least try to repeat last year's semifinals.

Juan Martin del Potro beat Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-1Vince convinces Juan Martin Del Potro who rule without too many problems the Japanese Nishikori.If Del Potro in the first set maintains the increased speed of the ball in trade (6-3), second in the Argentine ran into one of his usual steps vacuum which could lengthen his game is not much: the giant of Tandil in fact, after escaping up a break once in the opening set, do not lose your head after you close an easy fifteen allowing Nishikori to put a super part that allows you to drag the game until the tie-break. And there Del Potro is lucky in the first 4 points in fact, the Argentine has helped to 2 times from tape instead of pushing the Japanese a 2-2 4-0 states that triggers the classic "click" the switch Del Potro's head, and from that moment the fact seeded No. 9 in the tournament sticks with the service and with a partial 5 straight games to 1 which effectively condemns Nishikori. In the third set it is just below the Japanese and, very quickly, bowing to the law of the jungle.

Mardy FISH beat David GOFFIN 6-3, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (6)Mardy Fish is back. Now it's really official. The U.S., after the problems of heart, was to return to Wimbledon and after the first few turns rosewater now faced an obstacle very gentle: David Goffin.And the test was passed with flying colors. Fish, seeded No. 10 in the tournament, has played a great match percentages really pulling out by applause, an example of all? 56 winners and only 18 unforced errors. Goffin, for its part, has however confirmed to be a really good player (for later this year, if it goes on like this, to get into the top 40) and has paid only little experience in playing key points: the unfortunate approach Network dul 6-6 in the first tie-break and altrattanto squandered the advantage (4-1 to 4-5) in the second. Fish flies still deservedly in the second round where he will find the winner of the match between Lacko and Tsonga.

Philipp Kohlschreiber beat Lukas Rosol 6-2, 6-3, 7-6And as often happens in court, after the company, the hero greets the tournament. It ends in the third round of the adventure Death of Nadal, Lukas Rosol, who against Kohlschreiber is unable to replicate the day of grace against the Mallorcan and lived in Germany for 3 sets gives "easy easy". The game, in fact, there is only the third where the ceko can drag Kohlschreiber at the tie-break but there, in the end, you must inchianare for eight points to six. For German, the second round, there is the AmericanBrian Baker in his challenge to beat third-round 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 French Paire 

OTHER RESULTS

Francesca SCHIAVONE beat Klara Zakopalova 6-0, 6-4Francesca Schiavone reaches the revelation of Italian tennis, Camila Giorgi, in the second round of Wimbledon women's draw by beating Klara Zakopalova, 30, number 30 of the WTA ranking. Czech undertone: we left in the fourth round of Roland Garros, when he snatched the only set of the tournament winner Sharapova then before the surrender, and in the semifinals on the grass of Eastbourne, but today the Zakopalova never entered into the game , undergoing the changes of a Schiavone finally breaks free. Francesca shuffles the cards with a court order to leave the czech very diverse, particularly marked on Italy's slice, without points of reference for its predominantly offensive game. The first set is a monologue in 22 ', in accordance with the Zakopalova found a bit' of pace from the baseline, but just a break point at 3-3 (closed with a superb backhand volley from the halfway line) for deciding ' meeting in just over an hour. Schiavone in the second round awaits the winner of the match between Varvara Lepchenko and Petra Kvitova: the first has eliminated Francesca a month ago at Roland Garros, the czech, seeded No. 4, is the reigning champion of the Championship.

Yaroslava Shvedova beat Sara ERRANI 6-0, 6-4Sara Errani, must yield to a great Yaroslava Shvedova, after the quarter-finals by qualifying at Roland Garros, explodes his hammering on the grass courts of Wimbledon by making its first illustrious victim (the Italian was seeded number 10 the Championship) with a severe 6-0, 6-4. In the first set an amazing thing happens, because Shvedova scored 24 consecutive points in 15 minutes signing the golden set that in tennis history has only one year (but masculine), because the company made only against the United States Bill Scanlon Marcos Hocevar February 22, 1983 at the tournament in Delray Beach, Florida. What's more, the Errani, in addition to not score in the first game, one mistake is not forced to validate the 14 winners of Shvedova unplayable. The second set is more balanced, because Errani is the first to forget the dramatic 15 0/24 in the first game and suffered tears to the service Shvedova, but must immediately give the break / back to 0. At 3-3 to Win earns two break-point - the Shvedova fixed with two aces, a second, and two first heavy - and saves in a game later, but the Italian still loses the last game against the beat a player who, despite the 65th position in the WTA rankings, the grass has dominated in just 54 minutes with 6 aces and 35 winners.

Roberta Vinci b. Mirjana Lucic 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3)Finally, Roberta Vinci, the Italian most "herbivorous", reached the knockout stages for the first time in its seventh final participation in the Championship by beating Croatia's Mirjana Lucic, semifinalist in 1999 and returned ten years later at higher levels. It takes two tie-break to decide on a very balanced match with only two breaks in the first set and a statistical inversely proportional, because if Lucic makes so many winners, but so wrong (31 unforced errors), the Vinci closes fewer points (22 winners ) but it fails very few (10) delight with the backhand volley. Win the victory of the closing program of the third round draw female allows Italy to become the nation represented in the second round with three tennis players (along with Giorgi and Schiavone Salento) against the two Russian (Sharapova and Kirilenko) and Germany ( Lisicki and Kerber).

Federer,Djokovic,Pironkova,Gasquat,Querrey,Xavier in the 4th round of Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic the world no 1 beat, Radek Stepanek 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in the third round at Wimbledon. Wimbledon was not quite ready for another Czech earthquake after the rude dismissal of Rafael Nadal.However, for the duration of a set on Centre Court, the prospect of losing the defending champion on day five sent a shiver through the tournament that did not seem altogether out of kilter with the prevailing mood.If Novak Djokovic thought he might be the next aristocrat tossed on to the tumbril after his stuttering start against the oldest man left in the draw, the 33-year-old Czech Radek Stepanek, before going on to win comfortably in four sets, he expressed no such concerns later.But did he not think for a second that Stepanek might be about to emulate his compatriot Lukas Rosol, Nadal's conqueror, when he saved five break points to take the first set?"Not really," he said. "Obviously I had a lot of chances in the opening set but, being aware of his qualities and experience, I wasn't too surprised with the way he played in important moments. He was mentally very composed. He was out there to win a match. I was a set down but managed to make the crucial break in the opening game of the second set, and then I thought I played really well."Once settled, Djokovic looked his old self, improving by the shot on his way to winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 in 11 minutes short of three hours, a decent workout that tuned him up nicely for a fourth‑round match against his fellow Serb, Viktor Troicki, who beat Juan Monaco 7-5, 7-5, 6-3.Dropping a set against the Czech (he has beaten eight of them in a row since losing to Tomas Berdych here in the semi-finals two years ago) did not presage doom as it did with Nadal against Rosol in that barely believable second‑round match under the roof the night before. Yet there is insurrection in the air this year.Wimbledon has taken on a fresh dynamic, and it is no bad thing – one enlivened by the force of unfamiliar personnel, either sneaking up on their betters and tweaking a few noses or folding meekly before heading for the travel agents.And the old boy Stepanek, probably on his farewell visit to Centre Court, briefly defied the stats and years before Djokovic was roused. At deuce in the ninth game, Stepanek slipped – but Djokovic blew yet another chance, and retreated to the baseline muttering. His mood darkened when Stepanek held his racket firm at the net and let Djokovic's firm reply bounce back into the open court to hold, and went on to take the set.But he cracked at the start of the second, as the defending champion found a rhythm at last. It was still an engaging contest, with Stepanek going stroke for stroke with Djokovic in several high-quality rallies; but, when the Serb ramped up the power, he finally stamped his identity on the match.He was, as John McEnroe observed, merciless at the death, "stringing him along, like a little puppet". That is the Djokovic we know, the predatory assassin, killer of points and hopes. He took just 48 seconds to go to 5-1 in the fourth set before cruising home. Talk about the quick and the dead.What chance, then, for Andy Murray, now that Nadal is missing from his side of the draw? "You can't underestimate any opponent," Djokovic said. "I don't think Rafa did, and I'm sure Andy is aware of that. [Rosol] can serve as an example for everybody that anything is possible in this sport – even though myself, Rafa, Roger [Federer], Murray, a couple other players, have been dominant in grand slams the last couple of years, and it's expected for us to reach the last four. But tennis is improving."Yet there is a perceptible power shift in the game. Nadal has stumbled, and his peers are not blind. Djokovic too has come down from the top of the mountain, failing to grab a piece of history at the French Open with a fourth straight slam title. Miserable evidence though that might be of a revolution, tennis might finally be getting a glimpse.

Roger Federer the six time Wimbledon Champion was pushed to five sets Friday by Julien Benneteau of France,Federer pulled out a 4-6, 6-7 (3-7), 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), 6-1 victory.Federer had not lost in the third round of a major tournament since being bounced from the 2004 French Open. On Thursday, Nadal, the No. 2 seed, fell to 100th-ranked Lukas Rosol, a shocker that Federer said wasn’t on his mind.“You focus on your match and Julien was playing amazing. ... I knew it was going to be a difficult match,” Federer told the BBC. “He played so well, he was making me doubt obviously for most of the match and that’s a credit to him. He just played amazing, I thought.”In winning his second-round match, Federer had been impressive, winning 37 of 41 points on his first serve and 21 of 23 points at the net against Fabio Fognini, but he struggled to assert that dominance against Benneteau.“It was a tough match,” Federer said. “It was brutal. A bit of luck maybe on my side, who knows? I tried hard, I fought until the very end . Obviously he was hurt [a trainer had come out to attend to Benneteau], I guess, in some way in the fifth set. I tried in the third, fourth and fifth just to stay alive and come back.”In other men’s matches, the tournament’s top seed, Novak Djokovic, Djokovic advanced with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Radek Stepanek.

Bulgaria’s best tennis player Tsvetana Pironkova defeated Agnieshka Radvanska with 6-2, 6-4 in a game of the tournament in London. The Polish player Radvanska is №3 in the world rank list, which is her record ranking, and since the beginning of the season she has won the tournaments in Dubai, Miami and Brussels.This is the eight victory for Tsvetana Pironkova.

Richard GASQUET beat. Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 6-4, 6-4Third round interest between two high-seeded teams - Almagro is the number 12 seed, Gasquet on 14 - and between two players with different characteristics, because Spanish is a great colpitore, while French has provided a very elegant collection of tennis and diversified. Gasquet and Almagro have in common rather one-handed backhands finest, along with Federer, the men's tennis. First set, against all odds, no exchanges and break Gasquet in the first game: just enough to win the first leg, although Almagro earned a break point, but the line judge calling the messes out of a full line of Spanish forcing him to repeat the point. With 5-second set break point to hand Gasquet another crucial game at 2-2.Almagro would have the opportunity to replace with three break points, but the French cancels with the first winning ace serve and volley and proving their day. Unlike Almagro, who sells the service in the decisive third set with volleys on the tape, right out in the open field and a double foul. Gasquet beats Almagro for the first time as a professional: it could not happen on the grass.

Sam QUERREY beat. Milos RAONIC 6-7 (3), 7-6 (7), 7-6 (8), 6-4There is a great game one between Sam Querrey and Milos Raonic and lasts longer than expected for a number of factors. The first is the basic balance, the second is the dark and the third is the rain.Suspended for darkness at 3-3 in the third set, the match to resume in late Friday morning due to bad weather and when you return to the field is little difference between the two players remain so. thus arrives at the third of three tiebreak sets, Querrey after winning a good defense by Raonic. The Canadian transition to a vacuum and you do the break in the opening set and the fourth will be the key turning point, why not give Querrey and nothing is going to win. In the third round will face Marin Cilic.

Xavier Malisse b. Fernando Verdasco 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-1, 4-6 6-3It might seem an obvious match for what it had begun between Fernando Verdasco and Xavier Malisse, but it does not. Verdasco the fact very strong and in half an hour trimming a sharp opponent 6-1, however, that he recovers and fights like a lion in the second set, despite a sore left knee that required the intervention of a physiotherapist. It is the tiebreaker, won the Belgian dive 7-5. In comeback, Malisse fore the result of the first set 6-1 and won the third practically without leaving the Spaniard to play, and again it seems obvious the trend of the match. But no, because Verdasco pulls out the pride and immediately break the opponent does, that he fails to recover and Verdasco will then close the set 6-4. To proceed in equal fifth to the eighth game, when there is a break Malisse, who then serves for the match and closes the meeting.

OTHER RESULTS

Vicktor Troicki is the first to enter the second round by eliminating Juan Monaco in three sets, seeded 15, with a score of 7-5 7-5 6-3, Mikhail Youzhny in four sets eliminates the seeded 8, Janko Tipsarevic, with the final 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. D. Istomin b. A. Falla 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6.