Tsonga lifts odds for season finale place with Tokyo title

October 10th, 2009 TOKYO - Mikhail Youzhny earned his first career victory over Lleyton Hewitt Saturday, firing 10 aces for a 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 win that denied the 2001 champion Australian another place in the final of the Japan Open. Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam winner and former number one, came to the court never having lost in three previous appearances to Youzhny.

October 9th, 2009 TOKYO - French seeds Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils both rallied past first-set deficits to set up their second career meeting in Asia with wins into the semi-finals of the Japan Open Friday. Second-seeded Monfils staged his second comeback in as many days, getting past Latvian Ernests Gulbis 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

October 8th, 2009 TOKYO - Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga paced a French charge into the quarter-finals of the Japan Open, defeating longtime rival and friend Richard Gasquet 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in a match played in residual winds of a typhoon which passed through early Thursday. The 2008 Australian Open finalist was unexpectedly joined in the last eight by unheralded compatriot Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who followed up his first-round dismissal of top-seeded US Open winner Juan Del Potro with a comeback over Austrian Jurgen Melzer 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.

October 7th, 2009 Tsonga, Gasquet advance at Japan OpenTOKYO — Second-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France defeated Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-4, 6-3 Wednesday to advance to the second round of the Japan Open. The 24-year-old Tsonga had 10 aces and saved four of five break points at Ariake Colosseum.

October 2nd, 2009 Madrid, Tokyo fall short in race for 2016 OlympicsCOPENHAGEN — When it came right down to it, Madrid and Tokyo could do nothing to sway IOC voters from the prospect of a South American Olympics. The two bids made the second round Friday after pre-vote favorite Chicago was shockingly eliminated in the first round, but neither managed to pick up significant backers among the International Olympic Committee members as the process continued.

October 2nd, 2009 COPENHAGEN - Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated Friday in the first and second rounds of International Olympic Committee voting to choose the 2016 Games host city. Chicago reached the lowest number of votes in the first round, despite the personal lobbying of US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle.

October 2nd, 2009 Tokyo presents 2016 bid as best for athletesCOPENHAGEN — Tokyo has made its case to host the 2016 Olympics as the best bid for athletes. Tokyo's bid team told IOC members Friday that their project was created by Olympians for Olympians, and would happen in the world's most exciting city.

September 30th, 2009 Tokyo makes environment a priority in 2016 bidCOPENHAGEN — Tokyo's bid for the 2016 Games could be an environmental model for future Olympics — and the entire world. Tokyo organizers touted their bid Tuesday, saying the compact plan shows that even the world's largest cities can make environmental sustainability a reality.

September 25th, 2009 TOKYO - Roger Federer Friday withdrew from next month's run of ATP Asian events in Tokyo and Shanghai, saying he needed to rest after a gruelling season. The Swiss world number one had complained of fatigue after helping his nation last weekend to remain in the Davis Cup World Group with a 3-2 victory over Italy.

September 24th, 2009 Tokyo bidders increase push to host 2016 OlympicsTOKYO — Tokyo should host the 2016 Olympics because it has the most compact set up, the most experience and will be the best stage for the world's athletes, one of Japan's top sports figures and bid backers said Thursday. Mikako Kotani, an Olympic bronze medalist in synchronized swimming and the head of the athletes' commission for the Tokyo 2016 bid committee, said she has big hopes that Japan's capital will beat out Chicago, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid when the final decision is made on the host site next Friday.

September 17th, 2009 Tokyo bid team wants new PM to go to CopenhagenTOKYO — Tokyo's Olympic bid organizers have urged new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to join them in Copenhagen for the International Olympic Committee's upcoming vote on which city hosts the 2016 Games. The Tokyo team also said Thursday that 13 Japanese sporting greats, many of them former Olympic medalists, will join them for the trip to Denmark's capital, where the vote will be held on Oct.

September 17th, 2009 Tokyo bid team wants Japan's new PM at 2016 voteTOKYO — Tokyo's Olympic bid organizers are urging new Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama to join them in Copenhagen for the International Olympic Committee's upcoming vote on which city hosts the 2016 Games. The Tokyo team also said Thursday that 13 Japanese sporting greats, many of them former Olympic medalists, will join them for the trip to Denmark's capital, where the vote will be held on Oct.

September 1st, 2009 Tsonga beats Buchanan in 1st round of US OpenNEW YORK — Seventh-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France has breezed into the U.S. Open's second round by beating 18-year-old Chase Buchanan of the United States 6-0, 6-2, 6-1.

August 20th, 2009 Tokyo says 17 sponsors backing 2016 Olympic bidTOKYO — Tokyo now has 17 Japanese companies serving as official sponsors for the city's bid to host the 2016 Olympics, organizers said Thursday. The sponsors include sports apparel companies Asics and Descente, beer maker Asahi, toymaker Bandai, commercial carriers Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways, Internet giant Yahoo Japan, and parcel service Yamato Transport.

July 14th, 2009 Rojas claims WBC featherweight titleTOKYO — Elio Rojas of the Dominican Republic has become the new WBC featherweight champion with a unanimous decision over Takahiro Aoh of Japan. Rojas dominated from the opening rounds Tuesday, and was never seriously challenged in the 12-round bout at Korakuen Hall.