Nicolas Kiefer

Former German number one Nicolas Kiefer announced his retirement from tennis on Thursday, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family.
The 33-year-old won a men's doubles silver medal at the 2004 Olympics and clinched the last of his six ATP titles in 2000, the year in which he achieved a career-high world ranking of four.

Germany's Nicolas Kiefer and Kei Nishikori of Japan have been handed Wimbledon wildcards, organisers said on Monday.

Third-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia reached the quarterfinals of the Lyon Grand Prix on Thursday by defeating Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Ljubicic, the 2001 Lyon champion, served 27 aces and broke his opponent twice to maintain his perfect 4-0 record against Kiefer.

Top-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France will aim for a quarterfinal berth later Thursday when the Frenchman takes on Olivier Rochus of Belgium. Gilles Simon faces French qualifier David Guez.

Top seed and No. 1 Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga along with No. 2 seed Gilles Simon headline Thursday’s second round evening schedule at the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon. Tsonga takes on top Belgian Olivier Rochus for the second time in three years in Lyon while Simon follows against French qualifier David Guez.

What started out as a rout turned into a war of attrition for Rafael Nadal on Friday, the stiff test leaving the third-seeded Spaniard feeling better prepared for an assault on a first U.S. Open title.

"It was a very good practice for me, no?" the 23-year-old Nadal told reporters after his 6-0 3-6 6-3 6-4 second round victory over German Nicolas Kiefer that closed out the night session on the fifth day of play at the National Tennis Center.

Day 5: Friday, 4 September 2009

Canada’s Frederic Niemeyer, ranked No. 487 and playing his final season of pro tennis, set up a match with Roger Federer by defeating Russia’s Igor Kunitsyn 7-5, 6-1 Monday in the first round of the Rogers Cup.

Federer will play Niemeyer on Tuesday night, his first match since winning Wimbledon on July 6. The top-ranked Swiss has been off the tour to attend to the July 23 birth of his twin daughters.

France’s Jeremy Chardy will have a chance to avenge his Sony Ericsson Open, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami loss to Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in March, after defeating qualifier Thierry Ascione of France 6-3, 6-3 in 61 minutes at the Allianz Suisse Open in Gstaad on Tuesday. Chardy and Youzhny will meet for the second time in the second round.