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Show Sunday, January 27, 2008 DAILYHERALD D4 AUSTRALIAN OPEN MEN'S FINAL Tsonga shaping up for Australian Open title shot against Djokovic after snapping Roger Federer's run of 10 consecutive Grand John Pye ASSOCIATED THE PRESS Slam finals. It's the first time since Marat Safin upset Federer in the semiJoWilfried Tsonga seems finals here and went on to win like a natural when it comes to 2005 Australian title that neithe shoes. into the settling Champ's ther Federer nor Nadal will be a Muhammad Ali lookalike Grand Slam champion. Tsonga reached the Australian "I think every sport is wait Jig in his fifth final Grand only Open to have some new faces," the Slam tournament and was set for a shot at the title played earDjokovic said. "Tsonga is coming up. He's just an amazlier today against No. 3 Novak ing athlete. He's been performDjokovic at Rod Laver Arena. No. 38 his ing some impressive tennis in ranking, Despite as have I. these two weeks Tsonga was considered a "I still didn't lose even a set contender after his 1 1 I here in Australian Open, which semifinal upset of No. 2 Rafael Press Associated photos is also amazing." Nadal that followed victories over three other top 15 players. Left: Djokovic is confident, having Tsonga of France returns the ball to Spain's Rafael Nadal during their men's singles semifinal match at the become the youngest man in the Hours before Maria Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday. Right: Serbia's Novak Djokovic returns the ball to Switzerland's Roger Federer during their men's singles semifinal at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Open era to reach the semifinals Sharapova won the women's at all four majors and saying over Ana Ivanovic Australia, on Friday. final he'd learned a lot from his U.S. on Saturday , Tsonga attended a news conference and told a Open final loss to Federer. "It's going to be interesting from France to attend the final. title, at the 1983 French Open. what was then known as Zaire. admire the great boxer and story of his links to Ali. Just like Ali, Tsonga had the maybe took some of Ali's "per- very much to see young playIt's been 80 years since a "He took some photos, so I "My father was at the fight ers playing against each other. Frenchman won the Australian media eating out of his hands. have some souvenir." at Kinshasa because he's from sonality on the court". Jean Borotra in 1928. Brazzaville," Tsonga said, talkRevealing that Ali was not Open "Maybe I think I have the same Obviously , we will not have Tsonga's parents, former tennis as his boxing!" he said Five other Frenchmen have ing of the famous "Rumble in the Congo international handball exactly a childhood idol, deanything to lose," Djokovic said. "I've been working very advanced to major finals in the spite the nickname because Meanwhile, no Serbian has Jungle" when Ali regained the player and now chemistry of the uncanny resemblance, hard in the past year and a half, won a major and Djokovic is teacher Didier and mother Open era, with only Yannick heavyweight title from George determined to end that drought so it's paying off right now." Foreman in October, 1974 in were flying to Melbourne Noah going on to capture the Tsonga said he'd grown to MELBOURNE, Australia seri-ous'tit- le IJ N 7-- ft 6-- 3 Eve-lyn- e, U.S. FIGURE SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS McLaughlin and Brubaker win first pairs title Nancy Armour THE Inoue and Baldwin have 'plenty to celebrate, too. As they took their bows, Baldwin dropped to his knees and asked his longtime girlfriend to marry him. Stunned, she just stared at him. "I didn't know. He didn't tell me and I don't think he told anybody," Inoue said. "At first I was just so shocked. I didn't know what was going on here." Said Baldwin, "We've talked about marriage for a long time, and I always told Rena, 'Well, you can ask me.' She said that's not the way it's done. ... I told her she's the person I want to spend the rest of my life with, how much respect I have for her and that everything I've accomplished in my career and on the ice is because of ASSOCIATED PRESS ST. PAUL, Minn. Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker got the title, John Baldwin Jr. got the girl. McLaughlin and Brubaker, last year's junior world champions, served notice they're going to be a threat on the senior stage as well, winning the pairs title at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Saturday. Their overall score of 190.74 was more than seven points ahead of Baldwin and Rena U.S. champiInoue, two-tim- e ons. Brooke Castile and Ben Okolski, last year's champions, were third. "I can't believe we're national champions," McLaughlin said, her eyes wide. BYU F3 lJ"r .in ... her." I very first senior competition with the women's crown. The United States has long been mediocre in pairs, but said yes. The only thing tarnishing McLaughlin and Brubaker the afternoon is the knowledge are already defying expectathat McLaughlin and Brubaker tions. It takes most couples years won't get to take on the world to develop the harmony and yet. She only turned 15 in unison of a world-clas- s pairs September, missing the age cutoff for the world champion- team, but McLaughlin and Brubaker have had it since they ships in March by two months. started skating together just Still, you can bet the Germans and Chinese will be keep- two years ago. They routed the junior ranks ing an eye on these two. last year, winning every com"We want to be the first American team to win the petition they entered. They qualified for the senior Grand Olympics, that's our big goal," Prix final they had to withMcLaughlin said. "That's my draw after the short program dream." Later Saturday, Tanith Bel-bi-n when he developed cellulitis and Ben Agosto went for and were, without question, fifth straight the class of the field at nationa record-tyinals. ice dance title, and "The first step in doing Mirai Nagasu tried to leave her As the crowd cheered, Baldwin asked again. With tears rolling down her face, Inoue . g m ID star-cross- lover. "I put my heart out to the audience and I let them see what I was feeling and I told the story of Romeo and Juliet," said McLaughlin, whose mother was a former show skater and now helps coach the two. Their only flaw was her falltriple ing on their salchow, but it wasn't enough to keep them from the top of the podium. When they finished their performance, Brubaker dropped to the ice and pumped side-by-si- his fists while McLaughlin skated away, holding her hands to her face. "Leaving the ice, as I was gliding backwards, I looked around and saw people clapping and the lights. It's definitely something I'll never forget," Brubaker said. "I look forward to doing that other places, hopefully world competitions, the Olympics maybe." The rest of the world can consider itself warned. 5K ' February 16, 2008 n.i,tiu anything is believing you can do it first," Brubaker said. "From the minute we got together, we had big goals for the team." No one else can match their speed or their power. But they're deceptively graceful, doing every trick with such beauty and control it looks like child's play. On their lifts, he carries her as if she's weightless and twirls her in the air as easily as a baton. But what truly sets them apart is her expressiveness especially at such a young age. Skating to "Romeo and Juliet," she displayed all the passion and angst of the 2:00 pm When Saturday February 16th Registration and 1:00 pm Packet Pickup Time 2:00 pm 5K Starting Where Paul Ream Wilderness Park 1600 W. 500 S. Provo,UT DENIS POROYAssociated Registration Fee Registration on February 15 3 by February 14 $10 $15 Registration BYU Running Club Members (iiujiiijtit U4(.iitUCil nit me i tut rait tfov to thutt ho t'i hey will be avjulibk- Tiger Woods builds an $12 Race-Da- y ' Minn inU Tiger Woods eyes his tee shot on the par-- third hole of the South Course the third round of the Buick Invitational on Saturday. bv vh puku) tin- follow mi; week It birtt arc to Register Haw THE Person at 26.2 Running Company or Runner's Comer by February 14: In 26.2 Ruiiiiiiigt.'u. L 100 N. 91 American Fork (801) 56 r-- Ruiukt's Corner 336 K. 800S. Orcm (S01) 223 "010 Mail or take registration form by February 15 to: BYU KuiiiiiiiClub Frigid 5k l"U Dr. lain Hunter iih h IV With credit card at mnncrcard.coin by February IS. On race day at Paul Ream Wilderness Paik from 1:00 ASSOCIATED PRESS out SAN DIEGO-Br- eak the umbrellas for rain, and the white flags for Tiger Woods. Winning the Buick Invitational became a matter of after when not who Woods put on a clinic Saturday by hitting 17 greens in regulation, building an eight shot lead and hoping he doesn't have to wait until Monday to collect a fourth straight title at Torrey Pines. "I'm in second place. I'm not really in contention," Stewart Cink conceded. "He's just hard to beat right now." Woods finished off a 66 with a tap-i- birdie on the 18th, where his par-landed on the bank guarding a pond but stopped short of going into the water. That put him at 198, tying the tournament record set by Woody Blackburn in 1985. Cink made a eagle on the final hole to trim the lead to eight. -- 120l)RBl'rovo.UT tmttH n pin to 1:50 pin Refreshments! Drawings! Prizes! Fun! e 35-fo- More information at http:. runningcluh.bvu.fdu. iot Press Torrey Pines during lead with an ugly forecast looming $6 u jysut 8-sl- at FrigidSk GOLF ROUNDUP Woods shattered the Buick Invitational record for largest lead (five shots), and it was the largest on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson led by eight shots at the BellSouth Classic in 2006. This is a course Woods loves, but he has never dominated like this at Torrey Pines. Two years ago. he was in an eight-watie for the lead with six holes to play. List year, he had to rally from two shots behind in the final round. "A lot more enjoyable," Woods said of his margin. "I'd like to have the biggest lead you can possibly have. You've still got to go out there and play well and post a number. Whether that takes us tomorrow or into Monday, I still need to go out there and hit good shots. You don't ever want to give guys a chance by playing poorly." JoeTJurant was among the y -- 7- deflated, having posted a 67 on the tough South Course only to lose ground. He was at 207, and when someone asked if the tour should have a mercy rule, Durant could only laugh. "If there was ever a week for it, this might be it," Durant said. Mercy might come from Mother Nature. Sunshine gave way to clouds late in the day, and the forecast today was for heavy rain that could wash out the final round. Players would have to return on Monday if the course conditions and forecast allow. I Qatar Masters: At Doha. Qatar, Sweden's Johan Edfors shot a 69 to take a e lead over Scotland's one-strok- Andrew Cohart after the third round of the Qatar Masters. The Edfors had a 204 total. Coltart, the 1998 winner, shot a 65. Sweden's Henrik Stenson (67) and South Africa's Chad Schwartz-e- l (69) were 10 under. |