In anticipation of his first match at the Sony Ericsson Open, Roger Federer sat down with the media today in Miami. At the start of the press conference it was announced that Roger Federer will be playing in Brazil for the first time as part of P&G’s Olympic global campaign. During the interview, Federer was asked about playing in the year’s Olympics and provided some insight on Murray, Djokovic and Nadal. Here is what Federer had to say.

LUIS CARVALHO: Good afternoon. On behalf of Gillette, welcome and thank you for being here today. Gillette is proud and excited to announce Roger Federer for the first time in Brazil. Roger has been sponsored by Gillette for five years, and he’s one of the 24 athletes that are a part of P&G’s Olympic global campaign. The Brazilian public are extremely excited to finally meet and watch the world’s best tennis player in history.

We are now open to questions.

Q. Are you more under pressure because you were the champion at Indian Wells, or do you think the contrary, every tournament is a new beginning?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think you’re go into a new tournament after winning one before with a lot of confidence, so that’s the good thing. Do I feel more pressure? Not really, just because I have been around for so long that I know how to handle pressure situations. I’m not the defending champion here. I only have, if you like, a semifinals to defend. So things are going really well for me. It’s about doing all the right things, being professional, you know, before the match, and hopefully sort of find a good way into the tournament. That’s my first priority right now.

Q. There are talks for the year‑end championship to go to Brazil. Do you have any say on that?

ROGER FEDERER: The beginning what did you say?

Q. The year‑end championship.

ROGER FEDERER: Yes.

Q. It might go to Brazil. If that happens, so what’s your view on that?

ROGER FEDERER: I mean, I think it’s great that hopefully many countries and cities, you know, would want to have the World Tour Finals, because it’s such a successful event. It was great in Shanghai for so many years. Houston put on a good event. Then obviously, you know, back in Shanghai after Houston again was great. Then they built this incredible stadium now at London. We’re having a record crowd every single time we show up. It’s only but normal that you have different interests, interested people around, especially, you know, with the Olympics and the World Cup going to Brazil. It’s a place that’s really buzzing at the moment, I would think, even though I have never been there, that’s why I’m so excited coming with the Gillette Tour this December. I’m really excited. So, look, I’d be happy if, you know, Brazil shows interest to have the World Tour Finals. But right now the tournament in London is very successful and very good. It’s a place that really can put on a great event. We’ll see the conversations with the ATP.

Q. An Olympic‑related questions. First of all, how high a priority are you putting on the Olympics this year?
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The women take center stage Thursday at the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open. Thursday’s schedule features six women’s Grand Slam champions as well as three former Sony Ericsson champions.

Maria Sharapova, a two-time runner up at the Sony Ericsson Open, opens her campaign this year by taking on Shahar Peer.

Serena Williams, a five-time Miami champion, begins her quest for a record breaking sixth title when she faces Shuai Zhang in her opening round match.

Two-time Sony Ericsson Open champion Kim Clijsters is up against Julia Goerges while 2006 Sony Ericsson Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova takes on Iveta Benesova.

Also in action on Thursday are 2011 US Open champion Smantah Stosur and 2011 French Open champion Na Li.

Not to be outdone by the women, 10-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal also takes to the courts on Thursday. The Spaniard team of Nadal and Marcel Granollers will face off against the Croatian team of Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic.

In the night session, former world number one Caroline Wozniacki plays against Barbora Zahlavova Strycova followed by Sam Querry versus Matthew Ebden.

Here is Thursday’s complete order of play :

Thursday, March 22, 2012

STADIUM Start 11:00 am

[WC] Ryan Harrison (USA) v Potito Starace (ITA) ATP
[WC] Shuai Zhang (CHN) v [10] Serena Williams (USA) WTA
Shahar Peer (ISR) v [2] Maria Sharapova (RUS) WTA

Marin Cilic (CRO)/Ivo Karlovic (CRO) v
Marcel Granollers (ESP)/Rafael Nadal (ESP) ATP

Starting at 7:30 PM
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)v [4] Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) WTA
Sam Querrey (USA) v Matthew Ebden (AUS) ATP

GRANDSTAND Start 11:00 am

[13] Jelena Jankovic (SRB) v Mona Barthel (GER) WTA
[14] Julia Goerges (GER)v Kim Clijsters (BEL) WTA
Leonardo Mayer (ARG) v Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)ATP
[6] Samantha Stosur (AUS) v [Q] Valeria Savinykh (RUS) WTA

Not Before 5:00 PM
[Q] David Goffin (BEL) v Donald Young (USA) ATP

COURT 1 Start 11:00 am

Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) v [WC] Jesse Levine (USA)ATP
Iveta Benesova (CZE) v [26] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) WTA
Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) v Bernard Tomic (AUS) ATP
[8] Na Li (CHN) v [Q] Melinda Czink (HUN) WTA

Not Before 5:00 PM
[29] Petra Cetkovska (CZE) v Christina Mchale (USA) WTA

COURT 2 Start 11:00 am

Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) v [12] Sabine Lisicki (GER)WTA
Chanelle Scheepers (RSA) v [25] Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) WTA
[Q] Sergei Bubka (UKR) v Ernests Gulbis (LAT)ATP
[Q] Bjorn Phau (GER v Carlos Berlocq (ARG) ATP
[Q] Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) v [Q] Rajeev Ram (USA) ATP

COURT 3 Start 11:00 am

Albert Ramos (ESP) v [Q] Simone Bolelli (ITA) ATP
Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER) v Flavio Cipolla (ITA) ATP
Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) v [19] Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) WTA
Alex Bogomolov Jr. (RUS) v Gilles Muller (LUX) ATP

COURT 6 Start 11:00 am
Lukasz Kubot (POL) v Ivo Karlovic (CRO) ATP
Benjamin Becker (GER) v Olivier Rochus (BEL) ATP
Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)/Xavier Malisse (BEL) v [3] Michael Llodra (FRA)/ Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) ATP
Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) v Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) ATP
Daniele Bracciali (ITA)/Juan Sebastian Cabal (COL) v [8] Frantisek Cermak (CZE)/Filip Polasek (SVK) ATP

COURT 7 Start 11:00 am
[21] Roberta Vinci (ITA) v Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) WTA
Marina Erakovic (NZL) v [23] Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) WTA
[17] Shuai Peng (CHN) v [Q] Stephanie Foretz Gacon (FRA) WTA

Not Before 3:30 PM
[30] Sara Errani (ITA) v Sloane Stephens (USA) WTA
Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS)/Alexandra Panova (RUS) v
Andreja Klepac (SLO)/Alicja Rosolska (POL) WTA

COURT 8 Start 11:00 am

[8] Daniela Hantuchova (SVK)/Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) v
Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU)/Nina Bratchikova (RUS) WTA
Eva Birnerova (CZE)/Klaudia Jans-Ignacik (POL) v
[4] Andrea Hlavackova (CZE)/Lucie Hradecka (CZE) WTA

Not Before 1:00 PM
Nicolas Mahut (FRA)/Gilles Simon (FRA) v Kevin Anderson (RSA)
/Milos Raonic (CAN) ATP
[Q] Frank Dancevic (CAN) v Jeremy Chardy (FRA) ATP
Oliver Marach (AUT)/Alexander Peya (AUT) v
Nicolas Almagro (ESP)/Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) ATP

​
Andy Murray will play his first round match at the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open on Friday. Murray, the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open champion, sat down with the media to answer questions regarding his training, the Olympics and the speed of the courts at Indian Wells versus Miami. Here is what Murray had to say.

Q.  How have things been going with you for the last couple of days here?  Obviously you’ve been practicing hard.  How’s it been?

​ANDY MURRAY:  It’s been good.  It’s been really warm, good, tough conditions to train in.  Very windy, as well, today.  It often gets like that during the tournament, so it’s actually been really good to get used to that. ​I mean, conditions are very different the last week in Indian Wells, so the only positive about playing badly there is that I got an extra few days to get ready for the tournament here, get used to the conditions a little bit longer.
 
​Q.  No aches and pains?

​ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, everything feels good.  Again, I mean, there’s only a few things that, you know, after last week you need to look forward and then look at all the positives.  You know, that’s another thing, is the few extra days to sort of rest the body. ​It’s quite a long start to the year with the training I did before Dubai, as well.  Good to just get a few days to let things settle down and get ready.
 
​Q.  Have you been hitting mainly here or at the university?

​ANDY MURRAY:  I hit here every practice except one.  I hit at the courts off site in the Key Colony. ​But, yeah, I have been here the rest of the time.  The courts at the university are much quicker than here.  They repainted the ones here only a few weeks ago.  They were just starting to do that when I was training here before Dubai. So the court is a bit slower.
 
​Q.(MiamiTennisNews.com) Are you finding the courts here faster than Indian Wells?  What’s your take on that?

​ANDY MURRAY:  I mean, the courts at Indian Wells are very slow.  They’re also very slow here, too.  I mean, the ball, because of the dry air in the desert, is faster than it is here, so the court plays a bit slower here.
 
​Q.  With the Olympics approaching this summer at Wimbledon, how are your feelings going into it?  Are you starting to feel any pressure escalating, or going one day at a time?

​ANDY MURRAY:  Not yet.  I have been asked now pretty much every week.  I’m sure that will build up more and more in the leadup to it, but I have a lot of other things occupying my mind now other than the Olympics.  But it should be great.  ​You know, I think with it being at Wimbledon as well that will probably add an extra  add a little bit extra pressure, but also make it extra special, as well. Yeah, I was involved in the last Olympics.  I didn’t play well, but it was a great experience being around all the other athletes and stuff.  So hopefully I can have a good run there, and I look forward to it.
 
​Q.  Fernando González is going to retire this tournament.  Do you have any opinion about his career or his decision?

​ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, well, about the decision, it’s completely his decision.  I don’t have an opinion on that. ​I have an opinion on his career, though.  I think everybody would agree he’s one of the most exciting players to watch.  He had a massive forehand, one of the biggest probably ever.  He could hit winners from anywhere on the court.  Great character.  He’s quite up and down emotionally, but that’s something that made him fun to watch.  Yeah, I practiced with him quite a lot and I get on very well with him.  He’s a really nice guy, too.  So I wish him well with his retirement.  He had a fantastic career.
 
​Q.  He is trying to find some good players to play in Chile in order to get his retirement…

​ANDY MURRAY:  Yeah, he obviously doesn’t think I’m a good player because he’s not asked me yet (Laughter.)  ​But, yeah, I’m sure there will be a lot of guys that will be up for playing some exhibitions against him and stuff.

Opening day at the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open kicks off with four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters taking on Jarmila Gajdosova of Australia in first round action. Two-time winner at the Sony Ericsson Open, Clijsters is playing in her first event since her semifinal appearance at the Australian Open.

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams will also be taking to the courts during Wednesday’s day session. Williams, a three-time winner at the Sony Ericsson Open, will face Kimiko Date-Krumm of Japan in her first round match.

On the men’s side, 2008 Sony Ericsson Open champion Nikolay Davydenko will face James Blake. Argentine David Nalbandian takes on Steve Darcis of Belgium.

The night session is headlined by Fernando Gonzalez of Chile. A 13-year veteran on the ATP tour, Gonzalez is playing in his final tournament and will retire after the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open. Gonzalez’s opponent will be Nicholas Mahut of France.

In the second match of the night session, American Christina McHale will face off with Galina Voskoboeva.

Here is today’s complete order of play :

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

STADIUM Start 11:00 am

Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS) v Kim Clijsters (BEL) WTA
Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) v James Blake (USA) ATP
[WC] Venus Williams (USA) v Kimiko Date-Krumm (JPN) WTA
David Nalbandian (ARG) v Steve Darcis (BEL) ATP

Starting at 7:30 PM
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) v [WC] Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) ATP
Galina Voskoboeva (KAZ) v Christina Mchale (USA) WTA

GRANDSTAND Start 11:00 am

Gisela Dulko (ARG) v Sofia Arvidsson (SWE) WTA
Ryan Sweeting (USA) v Lukas Lacko (SVK) ATP
[Q] Guillaume Rufin (FRA) v Tommy Haas (GER) ATP
Vania King (USA) v Laura Pous-Tio (ESP) WTA
[Q] Jamie Hampton (USA) v Polona Hercog (SLO) WTA

COURT 1 Start 11:00 am

Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) v Frederico Gil (POR) ATP
Shahar Peer (ISR) v [Q] Alize Cornet (FRA) WTA
[Q] Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) v Xavier Malisse (BEL) ATP
Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) v [Q] Madison Keys (USA) WTA
Anastasiya Yakimova (BLR) v Ksenia Pervak (KAZ) WTA

COURT 2 Start 11:00 am

Robin Haase (NED) v [WC] Marinko Matosevic (AUS) ATP
Pablo Andujar (ESP) v Santiago Giraldo (COL) ATP
[Q] Antonio Veic (CRO) v [WC] Denis Kudla (USA) ATP
[WC] Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) v Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) WTA
Ayumi Morita (JPN) v [WC] Garbine Muguruza Blanco (ESP) WTA

COURT 3 Start 11:00 am

Alejandro Falla (COL) v Denis Istomin (UZB) ATP
[WC] Olivia Rogowska (AUS) v [Q] Stephanie Foretz Gacon (FRA) WTA
Pauline Parmentier (FRA) v [Q] Sloane Stephens (USA) WTA

COURT 6 Start 3:00 pm

Dudi Sela (ISR) v [Q] Arnaud Clement (FRA) ATP
Philipp Petzschner (GER) v Ivan Dodig (CRO) ATP

COURT 7 Start 11:00 am

Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) ATP
Michael Llodra (FRA) v Lukas Rosol (CZE) ATP
Alberta Brianti (ITA) v [Q] Melinda Czink (HUN) WTA
[Q] Roberto Bautista-Agut (ESP) v Andreas Seppi (ITA) ATP
[Q] Urszula Radwanska (POL) v [Q] Kateryna Bondarenko (UKR) WTA

COURT 8 Start 11:00 am

Elena Vesnina (RUS) v Iveta Benesova (CZE) WTA
[Q] Vera Dushevina (RUS) v Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) WTA
Klara Zakopalova (CZE) v [Q] Valeria Savinykh (RUS) WTA
[Q] Eva Birnerova (CZE) v Michaella Krajicek (NED) WTA
[Q] Misaki Doi (JPN) v Silvia Soler-Espinosa (ESP) WTA

For fans hopeful of a rematch between Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in the Sony Ericsson Open final, neither man will have a comfortable trip in getting there.

Djokovic could contend with Marcos Baghdatis in his opening match, countryman Viktor Troicki in the third round or Richard Gasquet in the fourth round. Also, in the quarterfinals, Juan Martin Del Potro or the relentless David Ferrer may stump the world number one.

Moreover, besides Nikolay Davydenko who was unable to defend his 2008 title due to injury, since 2006 no prior year’s champion has advanced beyond the round of 16.

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Novak Djokovic, the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open champion, will commence the defense of his title when he takes to courts in Miami on Saturday, March 24. Djokovic will headline the evening session of the tournament’s opening weekend.

Djokovic will face a stacked field that includes Rafael Nadal and former Sony Ericsson Open Champions Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray.

MiamiTennisNews.com will once again be providing live media coverage from the tournament. Join our Facebook Fan page at http://www.facebook.com/MiamiTennisNews and follow us on Twitter under the user name @MiamiTennisNews at http://twitter.com/MiamiTennisNews for news, live scores, and results.

Here is the official tournament press release :

WORLD NO. 1 NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO OPEN EVENING SESSION PLAY ON SATURDAY, MARCH 24
MIAMI, Fla. (www.sonyericssonopen.com) – World No. 1 Novak Djokovic will begin his quest to defend his 2011 Sony Ericsson Open title on Saturday, March 24 (Session 10) at 8:00 p.m. Djokovic’s opponent, along with the rest of the men’s field, will be determined on Monday, March 19 when the tournament draw is announced.

The two-time Sony Ericsson Open champ (2011, 2007) has become a fan favorite in Miami having played in some of the tournament’s most thrilling matches en route to capturing the Butch Buchholz Championship Trophy.

Djokovic looks to join the company of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, by becoming the third man in tournament history to win at least three titles; and the first, since Roger Federer (2006, 2005), to record back-to-back wins at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Tickets to the 2012 Sony Ericsson Open are on sale now and can be purchased by phone (305-442-3367) or via internet at www.sonyericssonopen.com. An electrifying two weeks of tennis conclude with the women’s final on Saturday, March 31 and the men’s final on Sunday, April 1.

Djokovic, started the year off strong, claiming his third Australian Open title. The fun-loving Serbian star, plans to build on his remarkable 2011 campaign which saw him collect three of the four Grand Slams including, the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

The five-time Grand Slam champion became World No. 1 on July 4, 2011 after his win at Wimbledon. Earlier this year, Djokovic received the prestigious Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award in London beating out some of the world’s best in their respective sport including Usain Bolt (Track and Field), Dirk Nowitzki (Basketball), Sebastian Vettel (Motor Racing), Lionel Messi (Soccer) and Cadel Evans (Cycling).

Djokovic will face a field featuring 10-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal; 16-time Grand Slam champion and two-time Sony Ericsson Open winner Roger Federer; Grand Slam champ and two-time Sony Ericsson Open winner Andy Roddick; and 2009 Sony Ericsson Open champion Andy Murray.

ABOUT THE SONY ERICSSON OPEN: The 2012 Sony Ericsson Open will be played March 19-April 1 at the Tennis Center at Crandon Park in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG and is widely regarded as the most glamorous event on the ATP and WTA Tours drawing over 300,000 guests each year including the biggest names in music, entertainment and sports. The Sony Ericsson Open is one of nine ATP World Tour Masters 1000 series events and a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA Tour, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world including defending champions Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka. For ticket information, call (305) 442-3367 or visit the website at http://www.SonyEricssonOpen.com.

ABOUT SONY ERICSSON: Sony Ericsson is a 50:50 joint venture between Sony Corporation (“Sony”) and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (“Ericsson”). In October 2011 it was announced by Sony and Ericsson that Sony will acquire Ericsson’s stake in the company and that Sony Ericsson will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony. The transaction is expected to close in January 2012 and is subject to regulatory approvals. Over the years Sony Ericsson has brought together the best communication technologies with superior entertainment user experiences to create its Xperia™ line of the ‘most entertaining smartphones’ in the mobile handset industry. With its global corporate functions in London, Sony Ericsson has sales and marketing operations in all major regions of the world, as well as manufacturing in China, and product development sites in China, Japan, Sweden and Silicon Valley, California. For more information, please visit: www.sonyericsson.com/press.

ABOUT IMG: IMG Worldwide is a global sports, entertainment and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG’s Joint Venturesin China, Brazil and India; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academies; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com.

Maria Sharapova has been candid in admitting that clay is not her strong suit. Yet, in today’s final at the Internazionali BNL D’Italia, one would have thought that the Russian was a court specialist. Sharapova bullied 2010 French Open finalist Samantha Stosur around to claim her first premier clay court trophy with a 6-2,6-4 victory.

Sharapova and Stosur last collided in the round of 16 at the Sony Ericsson Open with the Russian triumphing in straight sets. With a 7-0 record against the Australian, Sharapova came in oozing confidence.

From the initial strike, Sharapova used her powerful forehand to assert her will and broke in the opening game. Then, with a brilliant volley winner, Sharapova consolidated at love. Later, with Stosur slicing a backhand long, Sharapova took a double break lead for 3-0.

After Sharapova went ahead 4-0, Stosur broke to narrow the gap to 2-4. However, with another forehand from Stosur traveling out of play, Sharapova had triple break point and converted. Next, Sharapova overcame a 0-30 deficit and closed out the set.

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Novak Djokovic hits a winner against Rafael Nadal during the finals of the 2011 Sony Ericsson Open.