Murray Defends Canadian Title Over Federer

Andy Murray got revenge for his 2010 Australian Open final loss to Roger Federer by defeating the 16-time major champion 7-5 7-5 at the Rogers Cup in Toronto, Canada. The Scotsman improved to 7-5 head-to-head over Federer and maintained his right to be in the conversation of potential winners of major titles, especially those played on hard courts.

Murray won his first title of the year, by defending his title at this tournament from last year, the first person since Andre Agassi in 1995 to achieve that feat, and did so by defeating Rafael Nadal and Federer in the same tournament.

Federer v Murray and Clijsters v Sharapova in Finals

Roger Federer defeated Novak Djokovic 6-1 3-6 7-5 to regain his World #2 ranking and defending champion Andy Murray defeated World #1 Rafael Nadal to retain his World #4 ranking in today's semifinals at the Toronto Masters.

Federer followed up his clutch win over Tomas Berdych (despite being down 2-5 in the deciding set!) to improve to 10-5 against the Serbian. The Swiss player was up 6-1 2-0 and was two points away from a second break when after holding Djokovic smiled and relaxed and reduced his error count considerably while Federer continued to struggle on break points and ended up losing the set. In the third set, Federer took a commanding 4-1 lead and had multiple opportunities for a 5-2 lead. Instead, he got broken and the next game was a titantic 15-minute struggle (9 deuces!) which Djokovic won to even the match at 4-all in the 3rd. Federer fell behind 15-40 on his very next service game but served three consecutive huge first serves to get himself out of trouble and nosed ahead 5-4. The match looked like it was going to a deciding set tie-break with Djokovic up 40-15 on his serve at 5-6 but Federer fought back to deuce and won the match on his first match point after another backhand and forehand error by the former World #2.

The first semifinal between Murray and Nadal was relatively uneventful, with ineffectual serving from the World #1 which eventually led to a deciding break in the first set. In the second set, Murray had an early break which he relinquished to even the match and then surprisingly Nadal lost the 9th game of the match on his serve through some excellent returns from Murray, who then coolly served out the set to win the match.

Tomorrow's final should be a reprise of this year's Australian Open men's final which was won by Federer. Murray, however leads their head-to-head 6-5 but Federer has won their three match-ups in finals (2008 US Open final, 2010 Australian Open final and the Thailand Open).

I expect a barn-burner tomorrow with Federer pulling it out in 3-sets.

On the women's side Kim Clijsters will face Maria Sharapova. Sharapova has won the last 3 times they have played, but Clijsters leads their head-to-head 4-3. I like the defending 2009 US Open champion versus the 3-time major champ.

Federer v Djokovic, Nadal v Murray Semifinals in Toronto

Today there's a dream line up of semifinals at the Rogers Cup in Toronto; World #1 Rafael Nadal plays World #4 Andy Murray and Roger Federer plays World #2 Novak Djokovic.

Federer came back from down 2-5 in the third set to even the match and defeat Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych 6-3 5-7 7-6(5) on his very first match point, despite being 2 points away multiple times from his third consecutive loss to the hard-hitting Czech for the year. Murray has to reach the final in order to maintain his #4 ranking over Robin Soderling, who was taken out earlier by a resurgent David Nalbandian.

WATCH: Fighter Jet Crash Caught On Tape

Furor Over Uganda's Extreme Anti-Gay Bill Grows

The international condemnation of Uganda's proposed extreme anti-homosexuality legislation is growing. There was a meeting of British Commonwealth leaders in Trinidad and Tobago this past weekend and the Prime Ministers of Canada and United Kingdom mentioned their disapproval in private meetings with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.

Gordon Brown expressed Britain's concerns about the parliamentary bill when he met Yoweri Museveni, the veteran Ugandan president, at the Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Trinidad and Tobago. The suggested legislation would apply to sex between gay men or lesbian women in which one person has HIV. The bill also proposes the introduction of a three-year prison sentence for anyone who knows of the existence of a gay man or lesbian woman and fails to inform authorities in Uganda within 24 hours. The British prime minister's anger was echoed by his Canadian counterpart, Stephen Harper. Harper's spokesman, Dimitri Soudas, said: "If adopted, a bill further criminalising homosexuality would constitute a significant step backwards for the protection of human rights in Uganda."

The proposed legislation includes the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality." Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and President Barack Obama have made no public comments on the legislation.

Uganda receives an estimated $287 million in U.S. taxpayer funds annually under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Rod 2.0 and other bloggers are asking whether those funds will be withheld if the legislation becomes law. The short answer from Eric Goosby, chief administrator of PEPFAR, is no.

I'm very concerned about any decision that any country—including our own—would make to target a group that's in the population, and that's always been in the population, by excluding them from a service or passes legislation that criminalizes their behavior. Every time you do that, you push the behavior underground. It never works. Rather than minimizing the spread of the virus, it actually amplifies it.

The U.S. policy is trying to work with governments to say exactly that. I think I would do more harm than good by connecting our resources to respond to the epidemic to making them dependent on a behavior that they're not willing to engage in on their own. My role is to be supportive and helpful to the patients who need these services. It is not to tell a country how to put forward their legislation. But I will engage them in conversation around my concern and knowledge of what this is going to do to that population, and our ability to stop the movement of the virus into the general population.

This answer is unacceptable. To connect the anti-homosexuality legislation to the AIDS crisis in Uganda, which, like in the rest of Africa (and the world) is an overwhelmingly heterosexual phenomenon is shockingly ill-informed and borderline offensive.

Happy World AIDS Day!

BREAKING NEWS: Governator Signs Marriage Bill SB 54

This is huge news. The Governor, after twice vetoing marriage equality bills in 2005 and 2007 has signed Mark Leno's SB 54 into law.

From Equality California's press release:

The Marriage Recognition and Family Protection Act, also signed today, holds that same-sex couples married before the passage of Proposition 8 must be recognized as married spouses in California, regardless of whether they married in California or in another state or nation. In addition, the new statute also confirms that same-sex couples married outside of California after November 5, 2008, must be given all of the rights, protections and responsibilities of married spouses under California law, with the sole exception of the designation of "marriage."

"We are grateful that the Governor has signed this critical bill, which provides much needed protections for same-sex couples who have legally married out of state, or will in the future, and who deserve to be treated like any other married couple," Kors said. "This bill will allow same-sex couples to get married in other states and countries and ensure they are treated equally under the law when they return to California. Ultimately, however, restoring the freedom to marry is the only way to ensure that all Californians receive the dignity and respect that comes with marriage."

"When California offered marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2008, spouses who were already married in another state or country were prohibited from re-marrying in California," said Senator Leno. "Now those couples and their families are in limbo because their rights and protections under law are not clear. This new law will ensure that same-sex couples are protected by existing California law that recognizes all marriages equally, regardless of where they are performed."

The heterosexual supremacists are going to lose their **** over this one.

Jamaican LGBT Activist Opposes Jamaican Boycott

There's a large debate going on in LGBT activist circles about the call by three white gay male activists (Wayne Besen, Jim Burroway and Michael Petrelis) calling for a boycott of Jamaica due to the rampant, state-sanctioned homophobia on the Caribbean island nation.

However, local LGBT activists on the ground in Jamaica and expatriate Jamaican activists have released statements opposing the move by the Americans. Last night, after the Boycott Jamaica folks had a "rum dump" at the Stonewall Inn in New York City, former spokesperson for the Jamaican LGBT group (called J-FLAG) Gareth Henry released a statement:

END THE CALL TO BOYCOTT JAMAICA

I think it is disingenuous of Michael Petrelis and the group in San Francisco to use my release of last year to support your boycott issues of this year.

I was part of the Canada-based attempts at a boycott last year. We learned numerous lessons from that attempt, not least among which is the fact that the lives of LGBT persons in Jamaica are at risk. I have therefore changed my strategy and will do nothing without the inclusion of my colleagues in Jamaica. I implore you to do the same and do not support your present efforts.

The struggle to gain rights and freedoms for the LGBT community in Jamaica will never be won by groups acting independently, but through a coordinated effort of selfless persons, groups and organizations, both locally and internationally.

This call for a boycott of Jamaica is outrageous and counter productive. The attack on Red Stripe is appalling and unacceptable; of all the corporate organizations in Jamaica, they were the ones who were willing to stand out and denounce violence against any group of persons.

This self-seeking effort/campaign of the group in San Francisco needs to end now. JFLAG has stated they do not support the boycott and that needs to be respected. If the community that you claim that this boycott will benefit is not in support, what is your purpose of continuing?

It is only when we work together we will make the difference.

Gareth Henry
Former Co-Chair and Program Manager
Jamaica Forum for Lesbians All-Sexuals and Gays

Boycotts are difficult to pull off at the best of times, but generally the first rule of doing international LGBT activism is to "First do no harm" and it is always important to get the support of the local activists in the country in question. It looks like the "Boycott Jamaica" folks are either uninterested or deliberately dismissive of the opinions of actual Jamaican LGBT people on their proposed actions.

Hat/tip to Alex Blaze at Bilerico for the text of the Gareth Henry statement.

Nadal Wins 29th Match and 5th Title in a Row

Rafael Nadal of Spain defeated Nicolas Kiefer 6-3 6-2 to win the ATP Masters Series title at the Rogers Cup in Toronto yesterday. It was his 29th consecutive match win and his 5th consecutive title (Hamburg Masters, Roland Garros, Queen's, Wimbledon and now the Toronto Masters). He has now won 30 ATP titles (12 ATP Masters Series) in his career at the age of 22. He won his first match on the ATP tour at the age of 15(!) and has been the World #2 for a record 156 consecutive weeks. He is now a mere 300 points behind current World #1 Roger Federer of Switzerland, who has held that position since February 2, 2004. Depending on the results at this week's ATP Masters Series event Cincinnati Nadal could become World #1 by next week.

More at Craig Hickman's blog.

Federer Loses 1st Match Back After Wimbledon Loss

World #1 and 12-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer lost for the tenth time in 2008, this time to Frenchman (and World #22) Gilles Simon 2-6 7-5 6-4 in the 2nd round of the ATP Masters Series event in Montreal Canada. Simon (who won last week's ATP U.S. Open Series tournament in Indianapolis) was down 1-3 in the final set, which featured an unlikely 5 breaks of service in 10 games.

"The hardcourt season just started so it is not the end of the world but I wish I could have started better," Federer said. "I like this surface, I like this tournament, I have done well in the past here so it definitely hurts.

"I have to regroup and look forward. The bigger picture is the Olympic Games and the US Open and those are the places I really want to win so I have to make sure I am ready for that."

The 22nd-ranked Simon represented a tricky opponent for the rusty Federer, who had only resumed practice four days before arriving in Toronto and received a first-round bye.

[...]

"I was playing like I was in a dream," Simon said. "I just saw the ball and hit it as hard as possible."

[...]

After starting 2008 with a lead of 1,445 ranking points over the Spaniard [Rafael Nadal], an off-the-boil season which now includes 10 defeats in 53 matches has Federer facing the possibility of losing the top spot he has held for 234 weeks since 2004.

While Nadal cannot overtake him even with a second title in Canada, site of his first career hardcourt crown, the pressure is now intense on 12-time Grand Slam champion Federer.

Only a few hundred points will separate the leading pair if Nadal does well this week.

Some Rafa fans (and Raja haters) are predicting Federer will want to retire at the top of the rankings (like former World #1 Justine Henin did three months ago) which would probably mean he would have to do so sometime this year. They don't really understand Roger Federer. He has stated that he wants to play at Wimbledon during the Olympics in 2012 and I believe him. He is a mere 2 titles away from being declared the Greatest Of All Time--you don't get to that level without a little (or even a lot of) adversity. Pete Sampras on his way to 14 was demolished in two consecutive U.S. Open finals by Marat Safin (2000) and Lleyton Hewitt (2001) before winning his 14th major over Agassi in New York in 2002 (and immediately retired at the age of 31). Federer is currently 26 (turning 27) on August 8, 2008.

He may lose his World #1 ranking by his birthday (doubtful) but he will keep his eyes focussed on major titles #13, #14 and #15. And I still believe he will win the French Open. Go Roger!

Oh Canada!

Oh, Canada! I just love that progressive country to the North. Here's another reason: Canada's conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates announced a multi-million dollar commitment to HIV vaccine research this week. The Canadian government will invest over 111 million U.S. dollars matched with $28 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create a facility in Canada to test HIV vaccines. “This collaborative effort between Canada’s New Government and the Gates Foundation will contribute to the global effort to develop a safe, effective, affordable, and globally accessible HIV vaccine,” said the Prime Minister.