Today's News
Last updated at Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:03:07 GMT
Nadal never galloped.
Stunned and delighted, the three-time French Open champion threw up his racket and tapped the ball back, leaving Blake a low volley he should have handled. "Took my eye off it," admitted Blake, who flubbed it into the net. Two blown shots on the same point.
Blake would have a couple of chances to break back in the next game, but Nadal defended both, one with an ace, and was never threatened again as Blake won only five points in the final three games.
"I guess [Serena Williams] played unbelievable," said Kuznetsova, 22, whose only major title came in the 2004 U.S. Open, compared to Williams' eight. "I was in my hotel watching Next Top Model or whatever.
"It's going to be a tough match. Definitely, she's going to have the crowd on her side."
''I feel like Andy's got some confidence going right now, the way he played in Dubai [United Arab Emirates, where he beat Nadal and Novak Djokovic],'' Blake said.
``One bad match in Indian Wells [Calif.] I don't think affected him. Maybe he's just riding on Cloud 9 with his recent news off the court.["]
"I felt a bit weak here and there, but what can I do?" she said. "I have to go through and be strong."
Jankovic, 23, has won six consecutive sets in the tournament and a win against Zvonareva would send her to Saturday's championship against the winner of Serena Williams vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova.
One type hits himself with his racket, like Mikhail Youzhny. The Russian nailed himself in the head three times after goofing up a shot, bled profusely and became a YouTube sensation this week.
"I saw that," James Blake said. "That was pretty funny. Not for Mikhail, I'm sure. My strings are strung way too tight. If I hit myself just with the strings I'd be bleeding."
The other type of player makes fans want to pick up a racket and hit themselves.
Like the affable, articulate, enormously sympathetic but oh-so-maddening James Blake.
...By Wednesday, more than 700,000 folks had watched the YouTube video. "Maybe I should," Blake said. "Maybe I'll get more popular. No, I don't think it's worth it."
What a pity then that it will only be a three-set encounter and not the full-blooded battle of the giants that these two great competitors and rivals clearly demand. The ATP tour are making many fine tunings to the game, believing they will produce positive results as men’s tennis seeks to not only attract a new major sponsor to replace the soon to depart Mercedes. They are also trying to make the sport player friendly.
...So I felt I needed to press Blake a little further. I did it with sincere deference: Correct me if I'm wrong, in both these matches your level seemed to decline, even physically your body language and stuff as you got deep into the match and toward the end. You know, that's what it looked like from the stands.
Blake wasted no time: "I'll correct you when you're wrong. I think you were wrong. Because I think a lot . . .like we said yesterday, when we talked about Rafa's desire and his will to win and everything he does, and his fist pumping and all that kind of stuff. . .Well, I said it yesterday: Every single person out here has that. They just don't express it the same way.
"He kind of goes through the motions a little bit, uses it as a practice session, but I think that day he played us, he wanted to beat us," Bob said.
The twins continued:
Mike: "Federer's the one guy, he comes over to the doubles and he's pretty darn tough."
Bob: "He would still need a few days to practice doubles."
Mike: "If he wanted to be number one, he'd still have to work out a little bit."
Bob: "For three days."
It came up because someone suggested that, from the stands, it looked as if his body language had sent him into a decline. The affable man from Connecticut doesn’t often get riled but this got him going.
"You know, I take all the criticism and accolades with a grain of salt but it does irk me a little bit when its something people feel they see and when they think they know me," Blake said. "It’s something that’s a little bit of a pet peeve of mine because when I was young my coach would say something like that — he knows better now because we’ve been together so long — but he knows not to say the way I’m feeling. If I was coaching someone I would never tell them how they are feeling. That’s very personal and I felt that I could win today the whole time. I mean honestly, if anyone wants, I can put my shoes back on and go out and play three more sets. It’s not physical. It’s the fact that he beat me down mentally. He played more aggressive. I played too passive."
So there. Seriously, I know exactly what Blake’s is talking about. It’s infuriating when someone tries to tell you how you are feeling because you are the only person on earth who really knows.
In 2003, he launched an annual tennis tournament he hosts in his native Charlottesville, Va. The Boyd Tinsley USTA $50,000 Women’s USTA Pro Championships draws top players around the world and inspires local children to take up tennis. In fact, the Boyd Tinsley Tennis Program provides instruction, equipment and transportation to any Charlottesville youth interested in pursuing the sport.
The tournament, which is staged on clay at the Boar’s Head Inn in his hometown of Charlottesville, VA, begins on April 27 and is open to the public.
Hingis Crosses the Line: French Open (1999)
Slap Shot: Tarango Tantrum: Wimbledon (1995)
Johnny Mac Forgets The Rules: Australian Open (1990)
Connors Tries To Win Friends: Australian Open (1975)
...As my colleagues from England and the Netherlands questioned Youzhny about the match, I watched the blood trickling lower and lower on his forehead and considered calling the first-ever mid-interview medical time out.
Finally, I blurted out, "Are you all right?'' One of the other reporters fished around in his bag and offered Youzhny a tissue, which he pressed against the egg swelling through his buzzcut.
Youzhny is an intense guy, but he told us he'd never done anything quite so violently zany on the court before. "Were you embarrassed to have to call the trainer at such a critical time in the match?'' I asked. "I didn't want to,'' he said, equal parts stoic and sheepish. "But then I saw the blood dripping on the court."
"Is that who I'm playing?" Roddick said in jest after he came from behind to beat France's Julien Benneteau at the Sony Ericsson Open to earn his 17th meeting with Federer in the past eight seasons.
...If Roddick were to win, the result is apt to be interpreted as something more than the law of averages at work.
"All I can do is put my best foot forward, and hopefully right now he's thinking about it a little bit," Roddick said. But this reminds me a bit of the discussion a few weeks back about Pete Sampras. He can beat virtually anyone on any given day. But can he return for the next match and sustain that level of play? In Davenport's case, 24 hours after beating Ivanovic here in Key Biscayne, she wilted in straight sets against Dinara Safina.
Blake chuckled when told what his brother revealed, but agreed that he tends to keep his initial reaction to losing a match far from the public eye.
"Right after the match, you guys don't see me in the locker room, and it's definitely not as positive then," Blake said, laughing. "But then it's over. Getting over it isn't something I was born with, it's something I've worked on since age 12 and am still working on.
...She now leads her rivalry with Henin by 7-6. “I didn’t make as many unforced errors as I usually do,” Serena said. “And you know, I’ve been practicing like a champ. Today I finally started playing a little bit the way I’ve been practicing.”
...Roger Federer was only marginally less impressive than Serena, moving smoothly into the quarter finals with a 7-6, 6-2 win over Jose Acasuso. The Argentine, who is ranked 45th on the ATP computer, battled hard in the first set but as soon as Federer wrapped up the tie-break 7-5 it was all over. As always out here on the Florida keys, the wind was a factor but Federer learned to master that long ago.
In his matter of fact way, the world No 1 re-counted his experience of playing in these parts. "Well, I was successful as a junior back in ’98, winning the Orange Bowl here. I always struggled with the humidity when I was a junior. I also struggled in the wind actually, and in America in general. So it wasn’t a place I made a break through very easily until one day I won every tournament there was to win in America."
...Henin, meantime, looked discouraged on the court and off. Her backhand seemed in tatters and she lost nine straight games after double-faulting three times in the sixth game of the first set. The match ended, fittingly, on a double fault.
"She was simply better than me, so I will have to keep working and one day will get better," she said. "What happened last season is far away from now."
Williams will never be called sleek, not with that muscular build. But she has thrown herself into a training program and hasn't looked this fit and trim in a long time.
"Since 1982," she joked — the year after she was born. And it wouldn't be a quantum leap to connect her impressive physical condition with the way she covered the court in this much-anticipated quarterfinal match.
...Seldom has Henin's backhand looked as incompetent, and she seemed helpless to find a path out of her malaise. "I wasn't solid enough, and I wasn't consistent enough," she said. "I had the feeling it was going very fast, and I didn't have the time to organize my game. I didn't have really any courage to do something else. I was too defensive, for sure."
...At one time, it was expected that the person named to this high new executive job within the USTA would have to move to South Florida in order to work daily at the USTA's new development center at the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton. But, apparently, McEnroe will be able to continue to live in New York, where he has deep roots and where his wife, the Broadway actress and singer Melissa Errico, works.
She looked like the Serena of old Tuesday. She went from committing 60 errors in her opening match to just 15 against Henin.
"I just want to see how it really works," said Federer, who did not identify his candidate. "I couldn't believe that it takes that long.
..."There's so much talk about it for like a year in advance, which is tough for the president, it seems. People are really into it. Seems like the younger generation is more into it. I think that's key to this race."
After the match, Serena told her sister she "did a lot of good things." But family intervention didn't help much on the day.
Father and coach Richard Williams, who has largely kept a low profile since making controversial comments in India, knocked over Venus' courtside bag during a consultation between sets, spilling its contents. Afterward, Venus said she could not recall what he said. Sometimes, she said, "I prefer to be on my own out there." Mills admitted that the demands of a potential British newspaper readership in excess of four million was barely taken into account. "Actually, I think television seems to have a little bit more sway," he shrugged.
...The game that summed up Henin's distraction was the sixth of the first set when, having broken back to trail 3-2, she double-faulted three times, lost serve and did not win another game.
...Two women players reduced to spectator roles had different experiences yesterday. Maria Kirilenko watched her Russian boyfriend Igor Andreev reach the quarter-finals, defeating last year's runner-up Guillermo Cañas 6-4, 7-6. Nicole Vaidisova's fianceé Radek Stepanek, was beaten 6-3, 6-4 by James Blake, the American. ...But take one Williams sister and one Belgian, and you create an interesting on-court dynamic, pitting the American's powerful game against the European's more cultured brand of tennis, which includes a backhand to excite the local racket-heads as much as any of the sights of South Beach.
"We definitely bring out some of the best tennis in each other," Williams had noted beforehand, but, sadly for Henin fans, that was not the case yesterday.
...He is looking forward to next week's Davis Cup tie against Finland in Finland, with Anderson's meteoric emegence providing South Africa with fresh stimulus for what is expected to be a difficult tie - with the Finnish side including the 26th ranked Jarkko Nieminen. And afterwards, he has mapped out a programme as busy as that of any player, including Challenger events as well as other clay court tournaments on the main ATP circuit - culminating in appearances in the three grand slam events of the year after the fairytale all began when he qualified for the Australian Open main draw in January.
"I'm still in a position where I might have to qualify for some of these tournaments," he says, "but I have no points to drop from last year and there is a good chance my ranking can improve further."
Lisicki's father travels with her and her chief coach is Mauricio Hadad, a former pro from Colombia who cracked the top 80 and is now a full-time coach at Bollettieri's academy (Lisicki has been there for three years). Bollettieri works as an advisor to her and he sees great potential, as well as a significant flaw that needs immediate attention (that serve). Bollettieri, as you well know, is a colorful character with a distinct voice: It's raspy and it he delivers words like a boxer delivers jabs, in quick, measured blows that have a cumulative effect on you. His choice of words can be, well, colorful, too. (How many hours do you think young players at his academy waste impersonating him?) So for the second time in two weeks Federer was not required to finish a match. In fact, against Tommy Haas at Indian Wells, he didn’t even get on court. "It’s a big difference not playing at all and playing one and a half sets so obviously I prefer this. I was in the spirit of playing a match."
Home, since 1997, is Miami, and one of Kournikova's havens is a local Boys and Girls Club she's been visiting for the last five years. She helps with homework and arts and crafts projects, plays kickball (a sport she'd never heard of until the kids taught her) and eats 50-cent hot dogs. "I approached their organization myself," she says. "They were a little shocked in the beginning, they were like, 'You're interested in kids?' For me the connection is, I grew up in a tennis club. That club was all about tennis and sports; this club is about everything. It's an after-school program. I just go to the club and hang out with the kids and basically go back into my childhood.
...Kournikova isn't in a hurry to have children herself, though. Although she was a workaholic on the practice court, she describes herself as commitment-phobic... She gets her kid fix when she visits her mother and 3½-year-old half-brother -- "my free baby," as she calls him -- in nearby Palm Beach. "That's perfect for me right now," Kournikova says. "I play with him for a couple of hours and then I say, 'Here, take him back.'" According to one of my best sources, and someone very well connected to ATP politics, several top-20 players have organized a petition that demands that the six-man board of directors not begin negotiations to extend de Villiers' contract past December until they've examined other candidates for the CEO's job.
"I got down on a knee, but I think the details we'll keep close to our family and friends." Later, when asked how he had met his fiancée, he replied with a bit of frustration: "Guys, let's get to tennis, please."
Federer, who has a few things to prove, called it "a relief" to get through the first few rounds. "I think that's always the biggest danger, early on in the tournament. I think you're always most vulnerable as a high seed, and then you start playing, and once you get on the roll you play better and better."
"I think we have a great rivalry," Williams said. "I mean, we definitely bring out some of the best tennis in each other, and she tends to play really well against me. Probably better against me than other opponents, so it's definitely a good match for me."
Things changed in that final last March, Henin guesses. Yes, she walked away in defeat, but also with the idea that defeating Williams was within reach Buchholz also expressed regret that ESPN didn't want to cover the early rounds of the tournament this year, which led Buchholz and his staff to switch to Fox SportNet for the early rounds. CBS will still cover the final weekend.
''ESPN had been such a strong proponent of tennis -- they did the Davis Cup for like 25 years -- but they were going to cut us from 25 or 30 hours down to eight, and we thought it was better to try Fox SportNet to see how that works,'' Buchholz said. ``It was pretty clear that ESPN is primarily interested in the Grand Slams.''
Roddick rolled his eyes when his post-match news conference opened with a question from People magazine. He refused to delve into the details of his proposal
"It's our business," he said. "I got down on a knee, but I think the details we'll keep close to our family and friends. Thanks."
"It's a very good memory from last year, even if I had match points and I lost the match," Henin said. "It was a day that I understood that I could win against Serena and that I could do it in Grand Slams three times in the same year"...
The sisters look around and ask: What tough conditions?
"I mean, it's just starting to get warm," said Venus, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Caroline Wozniacki on Monday
A few days later as the doubles tandem marched through the draw, I met with their representative. This is where the story gets significantly more muddled. I can’t get into all the details yet, but in essence, suggestions were raised that the tournament did not want the Israelis to play there and that on the eve of the event the ATP failed to provide the assurances the players needed, among them extra security and a formal letter of invitation from the government of Dubai.
...As in the earlier interview, he told me to wait a few months and then the story would come out – a possible reference to the ATP’s next board meeting in July, when the tournament and the government of Dubai are supposed to provide additional assurances that the Israelis can play there next year... Fuel was added to their silence when I became aware of documentation showing, among other things, that part of their camp had demanded a large sum of money from the ATP, the Dubai tournament and its sponsors, as well as the cancellation of the Dubai tournament.
...One credible source with intimate knowledge of the situation told me that officially the tournament’s position was that the Israelis could come play, but unofficially they were told – by the tournament, by Dubai security forces, and by Israeli security forces – that it wasn’t a good idea. Furthermore, the source said, a lot of pressure was put on Erlich and Ram to defer going because not only was it potentially unsafe, it wasn’t absolutely clear if the players would have been able to cross the border.
Novak Djokovic To Visit Northern Kosovo On Thursday
- Tanjug
Serbia's best tennis player and honorary citizen of Zvecan Novak Djokovic will visit Zvecan and Kosovska Mitrovica on Thursday, representatives of the municipality of Zvecan stated on Wednesday. President of the Serb National Council of Northern Kosovo Milan Ivanovic said
'YouzTube'
- Youzhny video clip
Nadal survives slugfest with Blake at Sony Ericsson
- Charles Bricker, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The right side of the court was wide open, but, in a classic case of overthinking, Blake slugged the ball back to the left, thinking Nadal was going to be galloping to the right and would somehow track down his shot.
Kuznetsova gunning for Williams sisters
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Kuznetsova is 1-3 against Serena Williams, but was 1-1 last year with a victory on the hardcourts at Stuttgart.
Nadal overwhelms Blake, reaches semifinals
- Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald
Blake practiced with Roddick and Federer this week, and believes Roddick has a fighting chance. It has been a good week for Roddick on and off the court, with the announcement of his engagement to Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker.
Jankovic maintains cool
- Palm Beach Post
Jankovic, who suffered through a head cold, laughed about Dementieva withdrawing mid-match because of back pain but stopped short of accusing her of simply quitting.
Nadal beats Blake, advances to semis
- Charles Elmore, Palm Beach Post
Consider two contrasting types of players on the tennis tour.
Annacone new Davis Cup coach after Lundgren steps down
- Steve Bierley, The Guardian
Peter Lundgren quits as Davis Cup coach
- Mark Hodgkinson, The Telegraph
Fans shortchanged by three-set men's final
- Barry Flatman, Times Online
Novak Djokovic may well have made a premature exit but Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal remain and seem on course for another cataclysmic tussle in Sunday’s final.
Paul Annacone takes on Davis Cup role for Great Britain
- Neil Harman, The Times
Fitness is Game
- Peter Bodo, TennisWorld
What struck me on both of these recent occasions is how unfit and dispirited Blake looked at the tail end of each clash. In Indian Wells, I simply thought, James definitely has fitness issues. It was the same as I watched Blake teeter, tooter, and finally collapse here today. This one had to hurt, I thought, after Blake sealed his fate at 1-2 and break-point down in the third. He misplayed an easy smash and then compounded the error by spearing a volley into the net to give Nadal a 3-1 lead. But hurt or no hurt, that happened early in the third set in a match of consequence. It was hard to rationalize Blake's subsequent listlessness.
Twin Killing
- Tom Perrotta, String Theory
Roger Federer is the one singles player who presents a greater challenge. The Bryans played Federer and his occasional partner, Yves Allegro, in the first round in Canada last year. They won 7-6(7), 6-7(8), (10-7).
The Evans Report: Rafa Roars Back By Richard Evans
- Richard Evans, Tennis Week
"I felt I wasn’t volleying very well and I think that affected me because towards the end of the match I was playing much, much too passive," said Blake before giving the media, with whom he generally has an excellent rapport, a little lecture.
Touching A Chord
- Richard Pagliaro, Tennis Week
An avid tennis fan and fitness fanatic, Tinsley composed the theme music used throughout ESPN’s coverage of Wimbledon. The subtle slide of the fingertips dancing across the strings speak to the player’s passion and precision for his chosen craft: Tinsley has gained international acclaim for his ability to make the strings sing and he’s also turned his touch to tennis in supporting the sport that is his passion.
Five unintelligent moments in recent tennis
- ESPN
A Nation Sits In Silence: Wimbledon (2004)[Sprem-Venus Williams]
>> And yet, there's still nothing to beat the time Ivanisevic had to forfeit his match after running out of racquets in Brighton. Roddick has prime opportunity to snap losing streak versus Federer
- Bonnie D. Ford, ESPN
But there's one statistic in Roddick's life that could overwhelm him if he obsessed over it -- his 1-15 career record against his Sony Ericsson Open quarterfinal opponent, Roger Federer.
Mailbag: Musings from Miami
- Jon Wertheim, SI.com
Not sure if your question was submitted before or after Davenport ran roughshod over the world's second-ranked player, Ana Ivanovic. But that win said plenty. As for her chances of winning a Slam, I wouldn't rule it out by any stretch. She still hits a big ball -- not just hard, but oppressively deep -- and has fashioned a game that masks her movement. The extra day to rest between rounds would really help her too.
Winning a Masters Series event would be apex of Blake's career
- Sandra Harwitt, ESPN
But Blake's older brother, Thomas, said at the recent Delray Beach tournament in February that his brother hides his obsession with winning. According to Thomas Blake, James definitely possesses the typical younger sibling determination to win, saying, "From when we were kids, James always was competitive and had to win no matter what game we played. And that hasn't changed no matter if he's playing tennis or playing poker."
Vintage Serena humbles passive Henin
- tennisreporters.net
Just when Serena Williams was slowly getting written off again after three consecutive losses to Justine Henin in Grand Slam quarterfinals last year, she proved her doubters wrong once more by thrashing the Belgian 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals in Miami on Tuesday. “It’s kind of a letdown,” Serena said. “I wish this was a Grand Slam more than anything.”
The Evans Report: On Song In The Keys
- Richard Evans, Tennis Week
Blake outhit and outran Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4 to reach the quarter finals of the men’s draw in fine style but it was Serena who had the record crowds humming as she hammered World No. 1 Justine Henin 6-2, 6-0, not just because of the way she played but the way she looked. This is definitely a slimmer version of the Serena we have seen over the past few years and she was only half joking when she said she had not looked so good "since 1982!"
In Florida, Williams Wins . . . Then Loses
- Washington Post
"I'm always happy for Serena to win," Venus Williams said. "It would have been obviously very exciting for me to win, too, but it just didn't happen. . . . I just felt a step slow and a little bit off. I just didn't have the answers today and she played well."
Looking fit and ferocious
- Charles Bricker, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
But the new body-by-Serena must have been a major surprise for those who were looking at the younger of the Williams sisters for the first time at the Sony Ericsson Open this year.
Blake prevails, Roddick in a rain delay at Sony Open
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The sixth-seeded Roddick had one foot out the door, but rallied to overtake French journeyman Julien Benneteau 4-6, 6-3, 3-0 [eventually 6-2] in a late-night match that is currently being delayed by rain. Waiting for the victor is Federer, who is 15-1 against Roddick. The freshly engaged Roddick has won two ATP titles this year and has four career Master Series titles, while Benneteau has no singles titles since turning pro in 2000.
"You've got to get better than that boss,'' Roddick scolded himself within range of a courtside microphone after scratching out the second set to draw even. "That's absolutely as bad as I can play.''
With fiancée Brooklyn Decker cheering him on, as well as Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens and actor Owen Wilson, Roddick cut down on his unforced errors and reeled off six straight games from 3-3 in the second set. It didn't hurt that Benneteau's serve and nerves seemed to abandon him in time for Roddick to regroup.
James Blake hopes to play Beijing Olympics
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
James Blake, the second-ranked American, is aware of the growing talk of a possible boycott of some kind to this summer's Beijing Olympics because of the brutal manner in which China has handled political unrest in Tibet.
"Obviously, [politicians] are much more up on the issues of Tibet and human rights in China and what they've done and a lot more confidential material that I'm sure I'll never have access to,'' Blake said. "I've worked hard. I would love to be there. I'm proud to be part of the U.S. Olympic team.''
Blake said he would abide by whatever decision is made by the U.S. Olympic committee.
Davis Cup team captain named GM at Elite Player
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
It's the same job, created this year, that was first accepted by South Africa's Craig Tiley, who then used the offer as leverage to win a stronger deal from his employer, Tennis Australia.
Serena Williams exacts revenge against Justine Henin
- Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald
Of all the Stadium Court winners Tuesday afternoon -- James Blake, Williams, Federer and Rafael Nadal -- nobody made a bolder statement than eighth-seeded Williams. She beat Henin to win the title in Key Biscayne last year, has won four titles here in the past six years and looked like a woman who desperately wants to hoist another trophy on Saturday. And it isn't just more hardware she's after. Williams is on a quest to regain the No. 1 ranking. ''I'm always looking to be No. 1,'' Williams said. ``I wouldn't be in tennis if I didn't expect or believe that I could be.''
Federer rolls to quarterfinals
- Palm Beach Post
Switzerland's Roger Federer spends so much of his time in the United States, he has started following the presidential race.
Russian spoils all-Williams semifinal
- Charles Elmore, Palm Beach Post
Kuznetsova, a former champion in Key Biscayne, hit only one ace and 13 total winners, but made fewer mistakes, 19, than her opponent. "I didn't have so many aces, but I was more consistent," Kuznetsova said.
P-Mac to the Rescue?
- Tom Perrotta, Tennis.com
A quick bulletin about the USTA's elite player development program, which had its beginning at a Wimbledon press conference a few years ago (fittingly, the year every American lost early). Tomorrow the USTA will announce a general manager of elite player development, and I'm told that person will be Patrick McEnroe, who last year led the United States to its first Davis Cup title since 1995.
Haas out of Olympics, Davis Cup
- AFP
To protect his shoulder, on which he had an operation late last year, Haas has also ruled himself out of Beijing.
TV cash makes authorities serve up poor show
- Barry Flatman, Times Online
The scheduling of Murray's match against Mario Ancic late on Saturday was particularly farcical because Sky Sports had made the request for a late start. However Sky did not even start their coverage until Sunday afternoon. "We found out afterwards they were just taping it," said Alan Mills, the Sony Ericsson Open referee, who until just a couple of years ago fulfilled the same duties at Wimbledon. "We thought it would have earlier rather than later. They said 'no'. Definitely it was Sky's request."
Ruthless Serena Williams hands Henin crushing defeat
- Neil Harman, The Times
The tournament had announced its order of play in the manner of a 'Super Tuesday' but Henin did not live up to that billing, though she was never allowed to as Williams went about her business with the confidence that flowed when she, and not the Belgian, lauded it at the top of the rankings.
Rain fails to prevent Andy Roddick's progress in Miami
- Neil Harman, The Times
Serena Williams breaks her Justine Henin habit
- Mark Hodgkinson, The Telegraph
This was one habit well and truly kicked, whacked, top-spinned into the waters of Biscayne Bay.
Angry Murray drops out of top 20 and faces struggle on clay
- Richard 'Jago', The Guardian
Anderson enjoying new status
- South Africa Independent
"Yes it's a stimulating and pleasing feeling to mingle with the greats of the game in the locker room and actually have them greet you when before they were only names that you worshipped from a distance," said Anderson in a conference call from the United [S]tates on Tuesday.
On Court with Nick
- Tom Perrotta, Tennis.com
Lisicki is a go-for-broke player. She can whack her first serve, but her consistency--let's just say she needs more of it. She double faulted 13 times against Dementieva, formerly the Queen of the DF, and had 41 unforced errors. She also ended the match with a double fault (this is not something most coaches will advise). For the record, Dementieva only had four double faults in this 6-3, 6-2 win.
The Evans Report: World Beaters
- Richard Evans, Tennis Week
"Apparently it was fever," said Federer afterwards. "I guess he was really struggling with his footwork and there is no point to continue and risk your health in a moment like that."
Serena comes up against nemesis: Henin
- tennisreporters.net partial link only
Henin hasn’t been performing at her best this year, while Serena is still only playing in her third event of the season as she was recovering from dental surgery she had after the Australian Open. Henin suffered a shocking 6-4, 6-0 loss to Maria Sharapova in the quarterfinals of the year’s first major, and she fell to the gritty Italian Francesca Schiavone in Dubai, while Serena bowed out to Jelena Jankovic in the quarters in Melbourne.
Grounded Kournikova finally has opportunity to enjoy "normal" life
- Bonnie D. Ford, ESPN
"I can kind of control and decide where I go and what I do," she says. "If I'm coming here today I know I'm going to be seeing press, I'm going to be seeing people and fans, so I'm prepared. When I'm at home, I lead a very quiet life. I go to the same places; I see the same people. I'll get one paparazzi a week or something."
Pressure increases to get de Villiers out of the ATP
- Charles Bricker, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
With fewer than nine months to go on his three-year contract, ATP CEO Etienne de Villiers is facing intensified heat from some of the tour's top players, who want him terminated.
Roddick grinds out victory over Minar
- Charles Bricker, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Roddick and Decker have yet to set a date and Roddick was cheery and smiling after this win, but not in a mood to give out any romantic details.
Quarters add new chapter to rivalry
- South Florida Sun-Sentinel
But this match has much less to do with last year's final than with what happened after it, when Henin defeated Williams three straight times, all in Grand Slams.
Tennis stars aligned for marquee matchups
- Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald
One player who won't be around for the quarterfinals is Lindsay Davenport. The 31-year-old new mother, who had upset No. 2 Ana Ivanovic on Sunday, was eliminated by Dinara Safina, the younger sister of former men's No. 1 Marat Safin.
''She did everything better than I did,'' Davenport said. ``She served really well, got a lot of balls back and played very smart. . . . I came up against a player that was real intense and real eager to win. I'm disappointed to go out. ''
ATP Tour cuts back on Sony Ericsson final
- Miami Herald
''I think our fans like the five-set finals,'' said Sony Ericsson Open chairman Butch Buchholz, who fought hard to keep the old format. ``Not too long ago, [ Rafael] Nadal and [ Roger] Federer was one of the classic matches the 24 years we've been doing this. They changed the rule.''
Sister act playing well at Sony Ericsson
- Michella Kaufman, Miami Herald
Getting win, giving ring
- Palm Beach Post
"I think I lost half my fan base today," Roddick joked after beating qualifier Ivo Minar, 7-6 (4), 6-4 under the lights at Crandon Park's stadium court.
Serena-Henin matchup to top star-studded day
- Chalres Elmore, Palm Beach Post
Give No. 1 Justine Henin credit. She converted a wrenching loss to Serena Williams in the Sony Ericsson Open final last year into the confidence to beat her rival in three straight majors.
Were Israelis Erlich and Ram denied entrance to Dubai?
- Douglas Robson, Sports Dish
Here’s how it unfolded to me: When Erlich and Ram won the Aussie Open in January they discussed in the post-match press conference their desire to try and play at an event in Dubai (Dubai is one of seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates). No Israeli citizen has ever played a tennis event there and normally holders of Israeli passports cannot travel there... A few days later, I arrived at the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, Calif., where I requested to speak to Erlich and Ram after their first-round match. With ATP vice president of media and marketing Nicola Arzani hovering near us and well within earshot, the two cryptically told me they could not disclose their reasons for not playing. They refused to say why.
Magazines this Month
Roger and out? - ESPN
the Magazine
The man who makes the tennis world nervous - ESPN the Magazine
January-February issue - Tennis magazine (table of contents plus some links)
First Serve: The Man Could Not Avoid Beauty - Bill Simons, Inside Tennis
The Buzz - Inside Tennis
World Top 10 Stories - Matthew Cronin, Inside Tennis
Changes - Inside Tennis
Say It Ain't So - Bill Simons, Inside Tennis
The Best Damn Tennis
Crib Sheet - Period!: Men - Matthew Cronin, Inside Tennis
The Best Damn Tennis
Crib Sheet - Period! - Matthew Cronin, Inside Tennis
Ana Ivanovic: Leads the Serbian Charge - Alix Ramsay, Tennis Life
Hall of Fame: Pete Sampra goes home for the first time - Bill Dwyre, Tennis Life
Roy Emerson Now - Tennis Life
Cookie Quandry: Superstitions Are Serious Business - Tennis Week
February issue - Australian Tennis (table of contents)
Warriors Ready to Battle for Their Honor - Deuce
Andy Roddick: The Road Ahead - Joel Drucker, Deuce
Ferrer Steps Out of the Shadows - Deuce
Kiefer's Comeback & The Getting of Wisdom - Deuce
ATP's 'FEEL IT' Set for Global Rollout in 2008 - Deuce
Erlich & Ram Share Dreams On and Off Court - Deuce
The Last Time... with Tommy Haas - Deuce
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