14 Tuesday 7th April, 2009 Unfazed Murray defeats Djokovic Belarussian Azarenka for Key Biscayne title sets sights by Steven Wine on top spot the semifinals. KEY BISCAYNE, Florida (AP) - Lately Murray has won more by Simon Evans Andy Murray took advantage of than anyone. He’s the first three-time Novak Djokovic’s slow start to win titlist this year on the men’s tour MIAMI- Nothing seems to faze the Sony Ericsson Open title 6-2, 7-5 thanks to a career-best 26-2 start, and teenager Victoria Azarenka, who Sunday. since July his record is 57-7, best on lifted her first top tier title with The Scotsman used his vast the tour. victory over world number one repertoire of shots and took advan- Back home, he’s touted as a Serena Williams in the Sony tage of two wobbly stretches by threat to become the first British Ericsson Open final on Saturday. Djokovic. The Serb looked nervous at man since 1936 to win Wimbledon. With her third WTA tour win of the start and fell behind 4-0, and in The benefits of Murray’s condi- the year, the Belarussian has the second set Murray rallied from a tioning regimen showed as he repeat- stormed into the top 10 in the world break down at 1-4 and won 10 of the edly scrambled into the corners to rankings and is setting her sights final 11 points. retrieve shots. on top spot. Murray became the first three- “Physically he’s moving much “That’s the goal. That’s the time titlist on the men’s tour this better all over the court,” Djokovic whole reason I’m playing. I think year. He’s off to a career-best 26-2 said. “The balls he wasn’t getting everybody’s goal is to try to be start, and since July his record is 57- before, he is now.” number one. 7, best on the tour. Despite the sweltering sunshine, “I’m not going to say, ‘I’m going The No. 4-seeded Murray com- Murray’s legs looked fresh through- to be there’, but I’ll try to do my mitted only 19 unforced errors, out the match, while Djokovic best,” she said. Her 6-3 6-1 victory over an patiently mixing the pace and direc- appeared to wilt quickly and consult- injury-hampered Williams brought tion of his shots to keep the No. 3- ed with a trainer early in the second $600,000 in prize money—an seeded Djokovic off balance. set. The Serb has a history of not fin- amount that would overwhelm “It’s my way of dictating how the ishing matches, most recently at this most young players but not match is getting played,” Murray year’s Australian Open quarterfinals Azarenka. said. “A lot of people might not nec- against Andy Roddick. “I can spend it in one day,” she essarily think my game looks the “Yet again I was, I think, the said with a grin. “You can buy a most aggressive or offensive, but biggest enemy to myself,” Djokovic car, jewellery, a watch or whatev- very few times will I not have the said. “I was struggling again adjust- er”. points played how I like them to be ing to the heat. That’s just the way it It surely helps that with two played.” is. I can’t fight it. It has been for a tournament wins under her belt — Twice Murray hit second serves while like this.” from Brisbane and Tennessee— for aces, and he threw in several Djokovic’s conversation with the Azarenka has already had a taste of effective change-up first serves. trainer preceded his best burst of success and drives around When rallying from the baseline tennis. His serve improved, he began Scottsdale, Arizona, where she didn’t work for Djokovic, he tried finding the range with his ground- lives, in a Mercedes. charging the net, and Murray repeat- strokes and he broke Murray twice to USUAL ROUTINE edly beat him with crosscourt pass- win four games in a row. The blonde-haired girl from ing shots. Murray needed 16 points in the Andy Murray, of Britain, holds up his trophy after he defeated Novak Djokovic, Minsk, who moved to the U.S four “You have to say, ‘Well done,”’ next game to hold for 2-4, which of Serbia, 6-2, 7-5 during the men’s singles finals at the Sony Ericsson Open years ago, has a maturity on the Djokovic said. swung the momentum back his way. tennis tournament Sunday, April 5, 2009, in Key Biscayne, Fla. court beyond her years. It was a matchup between Nos. 3 He hit three aces to hold for 5-all, (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) Most 19-year-olds, faced with the and 4, instead of the anticipated broke in the next game at love and prospect of taking on the powerful showdown between Nos. 1 and 2. Top- swept the final four points to close points on his first serve, broke who was bothered by an injured left serve of U.S and Australian Open ranked Rafael Nadal lost in the quar- out the match. Djokovic five times and won 10 of 11 thigh, was upset 6-3, 6-1 in the champion Williams, a winner of 10 terfinals to Juan Martin del Potro, The statistics reflected Murray’s points at the net. women’s final Saturday by 19-year- grand slam titles, would face a and Djokovic upset Roger Federer in well-rounded game: He won 26 of 34 Top-ranked Serena Williams, old Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. sleepless night. The 11th-seeded Azarenka, though, said she hardly even thought about her game as she fol- lowed her usual routine in her NKorea seeks FIFA Miami hotel on Friday night. Liverpool, Chelsea renew Champions League duel “I never think about the match probe into until it’s right before the warm up. by Rob Harris Although praising Benitez as a one certainty is an English semifinal- I never do, so I wasn’t thinking “very smart manager,” Chelsea’s ist for the sixth straight season. The food- poisoning claim about it last night,” she said. interim manager Guus Hiddink said mission facing FC Porto and Villarreal LONDON (AP) - The Liverpool- “That’s why I probably don’t get there were no secrets in modern foot- is to prevent another two Premier Chelsea Champions League odyssey by Jae-Soon Chang that nervous as maybe some others enters its fifth chapter Wednesday, ball. League clubs reach the semis. do,” she added. with the English rivals preparing for a “The players are known by the “There could be three English SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - quarterfinal match expected to be as managers, the players know each teams in the semis again, that’s how North Korea has accused rival South tight as all their annual European other very well, the managers know strong we are,” Manchester United Korea of sickening its players with duels since 2005. how they play, so it’s very, very tight,” manager Alex Ferguson said ahead of “adulterated foodstuff” ahead of last Of those eight matches, the Hiddink said. “I’m looking forward to Tuesday’s home match against Porto. week’s World Cup qualifier and Premier League sides have played out this battle, but in the end we can plan “Because of the competitive nature of wants football’s world governing four draws and won two apiece. Before what we want - the players, they have our Premier League I think an English body to investigate the claim. to execute it and it always depends on team will win the Champions League Chelsea won last year’s semifinal The North’s football association those little details in the execution.” again this year and it could be another series, the previous six Liverpool- also claimed that the alleged food- Chelsea meetings in European compe- The only constant in recent years all-English final.” poisoning is part of South Korean tition had produced just three goals. has been Benitez, who was in charge History is against United win- The teams know each other so well when Liverpool edged Chelsea in the ning, though, as European club cham- President Lee Myung-bak’s “moves that even Rafa Benitez, Liverpool’s semifinals and then lifted the trophy pions since 1992 - when Champions for confrontation” with the North. master tactician in in 2005 with a win over Milan. Hiddink League format began - have never North Korea coach Kim Jong Europe, will be struggling to is Chelsea’s fourth manager in that managed to defend their title. Hun had raised the allegation after produce a sur- period. Unlike Jose Mourinho and Portuguese league leader Porto losing 1-0 to South Korea on April 1. prise element Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari did will be drawing inspiration from their “It was beyond all doubt that the at Anfield. not last until the end of the season victorious trip to Old Trafford in 2004 incident was a product of a deliber- to face Liverpool in Europe. en route to winning the competition ate act perpetrated by adulterated The big difference this sea- under Mourinho. foodstuff as they could not get up all son is the threat Liverpool is “They are a good team with lots of finally providing domesti- attacking power,” United striker of a sudden just before the match,” a cally, shifting Europe to Carlos Tevez said. “They are going statement from the North said late second in Benitez’ priority through a very good period at the Sunday, expanding on complaints list.