Novak Djokovic upends Rafael Nadal

MONACO -- Novak Djokovic ended Rafael Nadal's winning streak at the Monte Carlo Masters on Sunday, beating the eight-time defending champion 6-2, 7-6 (1) in the final.

Nadal won his 46 previous matches at Monte Carlo, including a victory over Djokovic in last year's final. The Spaniard's last defeat in this event was against Guillermo Coria 10 years ago.

"Rafa, thank you for allowing me to win it once," Djokovic said. "I couldn't ask for a better start to the clay season."

After closing the match with another booming forehand, Djokovic held his head in his hands and looked skyward before talking to himself for a few seconds. He dropped to the ground and kissed the clay. Last year, Djokovic's grandfather died during the tournament but he kept playing to reach the final.

Nadal missed the 2004 tournament because of injury before winning his first Monte Carlo title the following year. Nadal then beat Roger Federer in the next three finals. His eight straight titles were an ATP record for one tournament.

Djokovic faced Nadal for the 16th time in a final, and they are now 8-8 in such matches. Nadal had won the previous three, including the French Open final last year.

Nadal dropped one set on the way to the final -- to Grigor Dimitrov. Djokovic dropped two, having been doubtful to even play after twisting his ankle while on Davis Cup duty for Serbia against the United States two weeks ago.

"I didn't know I would be a part of the tournament this year. ... (It's) the best decision I ever made in my life," Djokovic said.

Nadal looked ready to take the match to a third set after opening a 4-2 lead in the second, but his serve let him down. Especially in the 12th game, when Djokovic broke him at love to regain the momentum entering the tiebreaker. Djokovic sealed the victory on his first match point.

After a brief shower, the match started with a delay of about 45 minutes, and the Serb raced ahead 5-0 in 25 minutes. Neither player has won a set 6-0 against the other in 34 meetings, but Djokovic came very close before Nadal summoned the strength to save five break points in the sixth game.

Nadal has reached five consecutive finals since returning from a knee injury in February -- winning three, and losing two -- while Australian Open champion Djokovic won his third title of the year and 37th overall.

Nadal, who leads Djokovic 19-15 in their overall meetings, applauded warmly as the Serb received the trophy that had belonged to the Spaniard for so long.

"Congratulations ... good luck for the rest of the season," Nadal told Djokovic at the ceremony.

Djokovic looked emotional as he sang along with the Serbian national anthem.

He held the first game easily, concluding it with an ace; Nadal then dropped serve by returning wide.

It was as a sign of things to come in a first set in which Djokovic hit 14 winners to Nadal's seven and made almost half as many unforced errors.

After 25 minutes of brutally effective shot making by Djokovic -- including several sublime cross-court backhands -- the unthinkable started to look possible: that Nadal could lose a set on clay 6-0. But Nadal dug deep, winning one point that spanned 27 shots.

Djokovic still looked the sharper, quicker player at the start of the second set, and had Nadal running around the court as he teased him with drop shots, volleys and lobs.

Chants of "Nole, Nole" broke out as Djokovic saved two break points and held for 2-1. Nadal held before moving ahead for the first time, breaking Djokovic and holding for 4-2, but his supremacy was brief, as he planted a backhand wide to allow Djokovic back to 4-4.

Then, after Djokovic had dropped his serve again in the 11th game, Nadal had a chance to even the match on his serve. Instead, he crumbled, and looked despondent in the tiebreaker.

Their finals have gone in cycles: Nadal won the first five; Djokovic the next seven; Nadal the following three.

With the French Open five weeks away, Djokovic has chosen a good time to buck the trend.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

Veloz Verdejo en Nueva York

El plan que Top Rank tenía anoche para el prospecto Félix Verdejo fracasó totalmente.

No porque el exolímpico haya perdido. Todo lo contrario. Verdejo (5-0, 4 kos) despachó de manera impresionante a Steve Gutiérrez (4-4-1, 2 kos) a los 1:51 del primer asalto.

Pero Top Rank quería que el boricua trabajara varios asaltos. Fue por eso que escogieron a Gutiérrez de oponente. Aunque su récord es mediocre, el peleador solo había sido noqueado una vez y entró al ring con 34 asaltos profesionales, comparado con 10 para el boricua. Verdejo sencillamente lo atropelló.

El miembro de la selección que participó en las Olimpiadas de Londres 2012 lastimó a su rival con una derecha al costado momentos después del campanazo inicial.

“Eso lo trabajamos en el gimnasio. Día tras día Ricky (Márquez, su entrenador) me tenía ‘ajorao’ con atacar al cuerpo”, explicó Verdejo tras la pelea. Poco después, otro derechazo -esta vez al plexo solar- sacudió a Gutiérrez, quien tras el golpe puso reversa. Verdejo no lo dejó escapar. Una izquierda y derecha a la cabeza dobló de frente a Gutiérrez, quien dio dos pasos y cayó feo al suelo.

Pudo reincorporarse antes de la cuenta de 10. De nada le sirvió. Tan pronto se reiniciaron las hostilidades, Verdejo pegó una espectacular combinación de tres golpes a la cabeza.

El final

El primero, un óper de derecha a la mandíbula, pareció levantar del suelo a Gutiérrez. El segundo, un gancho de izquierda al mismo lugar, torció al púgil. El tercero, un derechazo a la oreja, remató a Gutiérrez, quien aterrizó descompuesto en la tarima.

El árbitro, Steve Willis, no contó. Era obvio que no se levantaría en buen tiempo. Fue auxiliado por el personal médico y poco después salió del ring por su propia voluntad.

“Me sentí bien, gracias a Dios. Lo que trabajamos en el gimnasio fue fluyendo en la pelea”, agregó el prospecto. “Trabajamos los planos bajos, luego la cabeza y lo aturdimos. No sé que pasa, pero cada vez que vengo a Nueva York las peleas se acaban rápido”.

Aunque fue una presentación breve, Márquez quedó satisfecho con lo que vio. “Lució mucho más calmado, hizo el trabajo que se le pidió”, indicó. “Top Rank está muy contento. Nos dijeron que Félix vuelve a pelear el 18 de mayo en Trujillo Alto”.

El peleador estuvo de acuerdo con volver rápido al ring.

“Me gusta eso. Salí bien (anoche). Peleo de nuevo hoy mismo, si quieren”, expresó Verdejo.

Obtenido del Nuevo Dia

Rigondeaux gana por decisión

El cubano Guillermo Rigondeaux ofreció una disertación de boxeo ante un rival de mayor pegada y gran velocidad, para convertirse el sábado en la noche en el doble campeón de las 122 libras con una victoria por decisión unánime sobre el filipino Nonito Donaire en la estelar del cartel celebrado en el Radio City Music Hall de la 'Gran Manzana' ante poco más de seis mil fanáticos.

Rigondeaux fue escurridizo, acertó muchos golpes y aunque en muchos momentos dejó en manos de Donaire el papel de agresor, logró capitalizar luego de una caída en el décimo asalto para asegurar los últimos dos 'rounds' y convencer a los oficiales.
John Steward, Tom Schreck y Julie Lederman, vieron ganar a Rigondeaux 114-113, 115-112, 116-111.
El doble medallilsta de oro olímpico, a quienes muchos no le daban oportunidad de vencer a un rival de mayor experiencia como Donaire, mejoró su marca a 12-0 y 8 nocáuts, y de paso unió a su corona de la Asociación Mundial de Boxeo, el cinturón de la Organización Mundial (OMB), lo que lo convierte ahora en el Súper Campeón de a AMB.
"Como dije anteriormente, yo vine a hacer mi trabajo y lo hice", reaccionó Rigondeaux tras la victoria. "Creo que después de lo que vieron hice que la gente apreciara más el boxeo. Creo que mis movimientos y mi boxeo frustró mucho a Donaire", añadió el púgil de 32 años.
Rigondeaux dominó los primeros asaltos del combate evadiendo a sus anchas los intentos de Donaire. El cubano boxeo en retroceso en la mayoría del pleito, se mantuvo a distancia y atacó al rostro y al cuerpo del filipino que tras ver la desventaja comenzó a presionar lo que le permitió sumar asaltos.
"Donaire es un excelente boxeador y un buen pegador. Es muy disciplinado, pero con un solo golpe no se gana un combate", añadió el cubano.
El llamado 'Chacal' recibió un corto de derecha al mentón que lo tiró a la lona obligando la cuenta del referí Benjy Esteves.
Fue entonces que caribeño decidió retornar a su plan original.
En el último asalto, Rigondeaux conectó un potente recto de izquierda con el que lastimó a Donaire en el ojo derecho.
El filipino sintió la lesión y se protegió por el resto del asalto.
"Primero quiero disculparme porque quizás no le dí a la fanaticada lo que quería esta noche. Durante los primeros asaltos fui un poco estúpido", comentó Donaire quien dejó sufrió su segunda derrota profesional y ahora tiene marca de 31-2 y 20 nocáuts.
"No sentí su poder hasta los últimos asaltos. Tengo mucho respeto por Rigondeaux por el hermoso boxeo con el que vino esta noche".
Donaire alegó que una lesión en el hombro derecho se le recrudeció durante el combate.
"No es una excusa pero es la verdad. Nosotros pensamos que hice el trabajo, tiramos los jabs y lo obligamos a pelear a lo izquierdo. Pero cometimos errores", agregó.
El choque entre Donaire y Rigondeaux fue una versión totalmente opuesta a los pleitos celebrados en las pasadas semanas.
Donaire lanzó un total de 352 goles de los cuales solamente 64 fueron de poder. Rigondeaux tiró 396, y 73 fueron de fuerza. El cubano conectó para un 41 por ciento versus un 30 por ciento del filipino.

Obtenido del Nuevo Dia

KOBE OUT OF THE GAME

Kobe Bryant had surgery on Saturday afternoon to repair the torn Achilles tendon in his left leg and his recovery timetable is expected to take 6-9 months, according to longtime Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti.

"When something like this happens, everybody wants to know why and there's not always a reason why. If you look at our season, it's been a nightmare," Vitti said after Lakers practice Saturday. "We had a player come in with a surgery, which was Dwight Howard. Then we had Steve Nash break his leg. Then we hadSteve Blake have an abdominal surgery. Then we had Jordan Hill with a hip surgery. Then we had Metta (World Peace) with a knee surgery. We also had Dwight with a (torn) labrum in his shoulder. Antawn Jamison will have surgery after the season is over on his wrist. So, when you try to look at the whys, it's bad luck."

Vitti said Bryant would be immobilized up to a month or more after surgery. If Bryant were to recover on the short end of the timetable Vitti provided, he might be able to play at the start of the 2013-14 season.

"That's the plan," Vitti said.

Bryant told Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak as much.

"Speaking to him this morning, that certainly was his goal," Kupchak said. "I think it would be aggressive to think he could be ready for training camp ... (but for the season opener) I think that's a goal. I think that's a realistic goal for him."

Pau Gasol had full confidence in Bryant's ability to achieve his goal.

"He's a guy that when you put something in front of him, he will get it done," said Gasol, who sent Bryant a text message with his support. "He will do it. He will put everything he's got on the line for it."

Bryant's injury was described as a "complete rupture" by Vitti.

"It's gone," Vitti said. "So, it has to be sewn back together."

Kupchak visited with Bryant at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic prior to the surgery and said the 34-year-old guard was in great spirits.

"He actually gave a message to me to pass on to the guys on the team, most of which I can't share with you right here (laughing), but it was a positive message as you might imagine," Kupchak said. "Very motivational."

Howard had a message of his own to impart in Bryant's absence, addressing the team after practice.

"I just told them that they put this team together for a reason and we all know how to play basketball," Howard said. "We've all done special things in our career before and it's time to do it again. We've all been blessed to play with Kobe but we all have talent, too, and we have to show it."

Bryant posted several photos to his Instagram account as he prepped for the surgery, including one posing next to Lakers minority owner Patrick Soon-Shiong while he was receiving an MRI.

Bryant fell to the floor with 3:08 remaining in the fourth quarter while being guarded by the Warriors' Harrison Barnes. Bryant had played every minute of the game up to that point, scoring 32 points in the process -- including back-to-back 3-pointers to tie the game with 3:45 remaining.

"I made a move that I make a million times and it just popped," Bryant said after the game.

Bryant asked Barnes if he had kicked him in the leg. When Barnes said he hadn't, Bryant said he knew that a major injury had occurred.

"I was just hoping it wasn't what I knew it was," Bryant said. "Just trying to walk it off, hoping that the sensation would come back, but no such luck."

Following a timeout, Bryant went back into the game and hit both of his free throw attempts with the injury to end his night with 34 points, five rebounds and four assists before being subbed out for World Peace and heading to the locker room.

"MRI, surgery and then recovery," Bryant replied when asked what his next step is. "I was really tired, man. Just tired in the locker room and dejected and thinking about this mountain to overcome. I mean, this is a long process and wasn't sure I could do it. Then your kids walk in and you're like, 'I need to set an example. Daddy is going to be fine.' I can do it. Work hard and just go from there."

Recovering from surgery to repair a torn Achilles can take anywhere from three months to a year. The Los Angeles Clippers' Chauncey Billups recently went through the process. Hall of Famers Charles Barkley's and Isiah Thomas' careers came to an end because of it, as did the career of Bryant's longtime teammate Shaquille O'Neal.

"I've never really had to deal with something like this," Bryant said. "It's a new experience for me. Obviously, there's been a bunch of players that have had the same injury, so all I can do is look at them and what they've done and who had more success coming back quicker and healthier and see what they did and see if I can improve upon it."

Kobe's Minutes Were On Rise

Kobe Bryant's 45.2 minutes per game in April were the most he has ever averaged in a month in which he's played more than a single game. Here's a look at Kobe's most minutes per month, on average, in his career:

Year	Month	Minutes	Age
2012-13	April	45.2	34
2004-05	December	45.1	26
2006-07	March	44.8	28
-- Minimum two games

---

Pushing for the playoffs, the Lakers increasingly turned to Bryant since March 28. Here's a look at how much he had played after March 28 compared to before it:

	Oct. 30- March 28	Since
Games	71	7
Played 47+ Mins	0	4
Pct. of mins. played	80.0	95.0*
* Played all but 16 minutes, 45 seconds -- ESPN Stats & Information

Bryant is set to make $30.4 million next season in the last year of his contract. The Lakers have the amnesty clause available to them and must use it during the July 1-9 window provided by the league. Should they decide to exercise it on Bryant, they would save significant luxury tax penalties north of $60 million.

Kupchak, however, said that is not something that the team has considered for Bryant.

"That's the furthest thing from our mind right now," Kupchak said.

The GM told ESPNLosAngeles.com that the Lakers are scanning the available pool of free agents and could add a wing player to the roster to add some depth with Bryant out. The San Antonio Spurs released Stephen Jackson on Friday but he would not be playoff-eligible. NBA rules state waived players have to be on a roster by March 1 to be eligible for the postseason.

Bryant, who played an average of 45.7 minutes in his past seven games including Friday's leading up to the injury, was asked if all the playing time could have left him vulnerable.

"Who knows," Bryant said. "It was all necessary. It's just a freak situation, I guess."

Both the Lakers and Bryant's longtime trainer Tim Grover shot down that overuse theory on Saturday, however.

"I'd be shocked if the minutes had anything to do with it," Grover said. "An Achilles can happen stepping off a sidewalk.

"This is not Kobe's fault, because he pushed himself. This is not the coaches' fault. People get hurt. An Achilles is just one of those things that just happens. You can't blame anyone on this one."

Kupchak said he did not consider Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni at fault for playing Bryant so many minutes and added that the same scenario could have occurred if Phil Jackson was the coach.

"I don't think Mike is at blame here for one bit," Kupchak said. "Even if you take Kobe out of a game, there's a lot of times where he'll just get up and put himself back in the game."

Kupchak and D'Antoni both said they had separate conversations with Bryant about the workload in recent weeks, however.

"I spoke to Kobe about 10 days ago about the 48-minute thing or the playing a lot of minutes and I said, 'I have concerns,'" Kupchak said. "His message to me was, 'Mitch, I hear what you're saying, but we got to get into the playoffs and I'm playing and there's nothing you can do about it.'"

D'Antoni said Nash (right hamstring) will be a game-time decision Sunday when the Lakers host the Spurs. Jodie Meeks will start in Bryant's place, but every player's role will be adjusted.

"It's everybody's time," D'Antoni said. "That's why it's a team, but the ball should automatically go to (Howard) more, because somebody has got to take the shots and obviously with Kobe not out there, it's got to go to somebody. But, it will go through Pau, it will go through Dwight and as long as we're playing for each other, we should be fine."

The Lakers were able to hold on to beat the Warriors without Bryant and have a one-game lead over Utah with two games left to play for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

"Last night's injury is certainly another setback and devastating in its own way, but I've got complete confidence that this group can win the next two games and get into the playoffs," Kupchak said.

Obtenido de ESPN Deportes