What happened during that fifth battle Ricky?

Pretty much what can happen in any match with Andy Roddick. He trades on emotion quite a lot, so you can imagine.

It's probably on Youtube.

What a week for Ivan Ljubicic. Apart from the wins over Novak Djokovic (and for a Croat to take out a Serb, I'll say no more) and of course Rafael Nadal, it is interesting to remind ourselves that he also defeated Brian Dabul - the seasoned Argentine who defeated Rafa in that exhibition set at Roland Garros just before the fateful 2009 edition kicked off - and also Ryan Harrison. Given the early (if not premature) plaudits for the American teenager, Ivan might want to frame the results sheet for this event. Should he go the distance here, it'll make quite a family heirloom!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2003/08/31/935817.htm

Thanks Ricky ... I see ... the usual high jinks. gorafago ha ha ...

gorafago...I don't know your origin, but don't speak what you don't know.
I am serb... but for me Ljubo is good player, gentleman...ideal player for sportsmanship awards... and then Croat. I will cheer for him tonight.
Don't make generalization so easy... we are individuals first... and every nation has his hooligans and primitive looser who will try to make political points in everthyng.
( btw...in last part of post I wasn't talking about you:-)))))

... which is precisely why I said that I would say no more, zare. In doing so I cannot be quoted; but it seems that even this has not stopped you from (mis-)interpreting me, perhaps?

I didn't jump on you... just wanted to state the fact that all Croats don't hate Nole, and all Serbs don't hate Ljubo.
(and for a Croat to take out a Serb, I'll say no more)... maybe my English is bad...and probably I did misinterpreted you, but this sound to me like national tragedy...
...it is not. Even for Balkan people tennis is not war. At least for normal ones...

and something about final...( ...but WTA...)
JELENA IS BACK... MAYBE BETTER THAN IN 2008....!

hey zare, wasn't it Goran Ivanisevic who once said "My racquet is my gun". i fight my country's war on the tennis court. or something to that effect?

not to say that Djoker and Ljub feel that way - i know they're best of friends. also all the other Croats + Serbs - Cilic, Ancic, Tipsy, Troicky....

Yes he did... he is a little bit....hmmmm...different.
Everything he achived, he did with help of Boba Zivojinovic, serbian player who helped him in beginning, even let him sleep in his house in LA. Goran never said something like "Thank you"...
But Goran played during the war, it was crazy time...lot of passions... and I can not judge poltical party for every player. I deeply disagree with his statements... but it was 15 or more years ago and I hope the atmosphere is calming.
Of course there are nationalistic idiots on both sides.
...but that is story for another site...

"Yes he did... he is a little bit....hmmmm...different."

That's for sure! And he was awesome! (And there are nationalistic idiots in every country, zare.)

Anyway, it looks like the final's turning into a good old-fashioned good one. First set seems to be heading for a tiebreaker and the 1-hour mark.

SP... couldn't agree with you more...
...and DR. Ljuba is in the house. First set for Ivan.
...old hand didn't tremble... solid as a rock..!!

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I'm sure someone will--lol), but If Andy wins, then he becomes first to win titles in all the North American tourneys. If Ljub wins, he becomes the first Croat to win IW. Either way, both guys have the incentives and motivation and talent to win.

f4t, we had a discussion about the North American sweep on another thread, and it appears that not only did Agassi (and a few others) do it, too, but he also pulled off the even more rare sweep that includes Rogers Cup wins in both Toronto and Montreal.

ljubo reads andy's first serve very well.

Thanks for that info SP. As an American, I would like to see Roddick win, but I also have been impressed with Ljub this tourney enough to want to see him win too.

f4t, how can you not be? It's been an epic week for Ljubo for sure. If he wins, he'll certainly have earned it.

And it appears it's going to a second tiebreaker.

wow-ljubucic won. congrats to him. its not everyday that a 31 yr old wins his 1st masters series event. wasted opportunity 4 roddick tho :(

congrats ljubo, you better defend those 1000 pts next year :)

tj, you could say that about everyone else that Ljubo beat. Sometimes you're just on a roll, and Ljubo wasn't to be denied this week. Great run and well-earned!

Congrats Ivan.

The old lions still roar. Go, King Roger, go!!! N. 1, the Master, the King, I miss you your game and your gorgeousness!

King Roger fangirl

I guess I underestimated Ljubo...he was calm and precise and also assisted with his great services, yeah, he was just brilliant. Congrats to Ljubo!

Ljubicic Won Well done Ivan Ljubicic, Roddick must be shattered this was a golden opportunity for him to claim his 1st Master series Title for almost 4. Whats worse is that he had a chance to win the title without facing Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray etc and he still failed.

Congrats to Ljub and all his fans! He played fantastic all week and deserves all the praise he gets. It's also nice that his kids and wife are there to help him celebrate! He mentioned in an interview that he spent his day off before playing Rafa, playing in the pool with his kids and enjoying time with his family. WTG Ivan!!!

Ljubicic definitely deserved a 1000 Title he was so close to win in Madrid 2005 when he led Nadal by 2 sets but eventually lost in 5, then also in 2005 at the Paris Masters he lost another 5 set final this time against Berdych, and in 2006 he lost the Miami final to Federer but all 3 sets went to tiebreaks.

Ljubi was a dragon slayer this week!! How many top tenners did he take out?
Congrats to him and his family.

He beat 3 Top 10 players i think, Djokovic, Nadal and Roddick.

What an unbelievable win by Luby! Best tennis story of the year I'd say. Well done by the older guy/underdog. When last has somebody beaten 3 top ten players ( a Djoker, a choker and A.'dick) in the same Masters event? First Masters at the age of 31. Unreal! That is what sports is all about. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, a true gentleman and good sport. His serve was actually better today than yesterday (20 aces in 2 sets and many unreturnable).

Umm...lots of players have beaten 3 of the top 10 in a single Masters event. Djoker beat #s 1,2 and 3 (Fed, Rafa and Roddick) in the finals, semis and quarters of montreal in 2007.

"His serve was actually better today than yesterday (20 aces in 2 sets and many unreturnable)."

Umm ... aren't ALL aces by definition unreturnable?

An ace is a serve when your racket never touches the ball. An unreturnable winner serve is when you get a racket on it but it doesn't go in play.