ABU DHABI — Olympic Games and US Open champion Andy Murray saw his Mubadala World Tennis Championship campaign last just 84 minutes Thursday when he slumped to a 6-3, 6-4 defeat to Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic. Tipsarevic, the world No. 9, will now face Spain's Nicolas Almagro, who replaced Rafael Nadal in the three-day exhibition tournament, in Friday's semifinals. “I am happy with my game. I know it is an exhibition game, but to play a Grand Slam champion and an Olympic Games gold medal winner and win, I am just delighted,” said Tipsarevic. “I hope to get two more victories and that would be great going into the Australian Open.” David Ferrer also reached the semifinals with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic. Ferrer will tackle world No. 1 Novak Djokovic Friday for a place in Saturday's final. Sharapova, Williams fit Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams will be fit to play at the Brisbane International, which begins this weekend, after injury scares, organizers said Thursday. French Open champion Sharapova pulled out of an exhibition match against Caroline Wozniacki scheduled for Friday in Seoul because of a sore collarbone. But the Russian, along with Williams one of the biggest draws in women's tennis, is due to arrive for the Dec. 30-Jan. 6 tournament Saturday. Sharapova withdrew from the Australian Open warm-up event last year. Williams also pulled out of an exhibition against China's Li Na in Thailand last week. However, the American has been given the green light to participate in Brisbane following toe surgery. Eight of the world's top 10 women are scheduled to play in the $1.5 million Brisbane event, including No. 1 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus. Azarenka and Sharapova will both receive first-round byes, as do the top four seeds in the men's draw, headed by Britain's Olympic and US Open champion Andy Murray. Tsonga has Grand Slam in sights With a new coach in his corner, French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga heads into a new year believing his maiden Grand Slam title is within reach. Ranked eighth in the world, the flamboyant Tsonga finds his path to Grand Slam glory blocked by three of the best players of all time in Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, as well as US Open champion Andy Murray. It is an imposing quartet to overcome for a title the 27-year-old, an Australian Open finalist in 2008 and a semifinalist at three other Grand Slams, desperately craves. Speaking in Perth as he prepared for the Hopman Cup, where Djokovic is one of his rivals in the $1-million mixed teams tournament, Tsonga admitted the road to his first major title was a tough one. However, he said his goals were higher than ever heading into 2013. — Agencies
