Today's News
Last updated at Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:48:48 GMT
Davis Cup ties covered at the Davis Cup website.
"I spoke to him about this during the practice and mentioned to him that I had been quoted out of context. This is the only thing I can do to clear the air," he said.
..."What I regret is slowing down and eventually giving up my singles career. I was ranked 73 at that time, was getting invitation from all the Grand Slams and was planning to break into the top 50.
"Then I decided to pursue doubles and hence gave up singles to be the number one doubles player. It had nothing to do with Mahesh. To say that I sacrificed my singles career for him is utterly silly," Paes said. "I respect Mahesh as a player and respect everything we did together as a double pair," he added.
LP: Mahesh is a lot junior to me, and he was never a good singles player. During my junior Wimbledon years, he used to travel with me and I took care of him. When I used to go inside the Wimbledon stadium, Mahesh didn't have a pass, so I used to get in and throw the pass across the fence so that he could get entry. I used to give him my food coupons and also made him stay with me. When I was at the top of my singles career, I actually sacrificed my rankings to play Satellites and Future tournaments with him so that he could be at par with me which would help us get entry into ATP tournaments. Even though everyone advised me not to pick up a rookie player like Mahesh but my instincts told me to take him along. Now, when I look back, I regret the fact that I sacrificed my singles career for him. I had won the Pilot Pen International hardcourt tournament beating the top players of the world, including Pete Sampras and reached world ranking of 73 in 1998. Going by my performance then, I should have focused on singles. Opting to play doubles with Mahesh was probably the worst decision of my playing career.
...ESS: If you had a magic wand, what would you change in Indian tennis?
LP: (Thinks for a while) I would produce as many Grand Slams players from India as I can. Looking back, I would again focus on playing singles and not partnering Mahesh in 1998. When I defeated Sampras in the Pilot Pen tournament, my playing gear was taken away from me to frame it in the Hall of Fame. I want to relive that moment again.
...Quote of the day goes to Roddick when asked about tennis' popularity compared to NASCAR: "It's a little disappointing we're behind a sport that you turn left for four hours." Dear Player Council and Player Board Representatives:
We the undersigned players request that our voice be heard and our input be sought on the future discussions of the future ATP CEO /Chairman of the board position.
As you have been elected by us, the players, it is important that we are part of the discussions on Etienne de Villiers’ future. Like in many of your current decisions, we would like to see different options. Therefore, we request that other potential candidates are identified, interview[ed] and assessed prior to any vote taking place on the board in regard to Etienne’s future.
Men’s tennis is a very hot property at the current time. Thus we require an open and transparent process, a process of which Etienne will be part, in order to identify as strong and effective a leader for our sport.
Signed:
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko, David Ferrer, Andy Roddick, David Nalbadian, Richard Gasquet, James Blake, Tomas Berdych, Mikhail Youzhny, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Andy Murray, Tommy Robredo, Paul-Henri Mathieu, Juan Monaco.
The petition lacks just three players from last week's top 20: Guillermo Canas, Marcos Baghdatis and Ivo Karlovic. I was told the only reason they didn’t sign is because they weren’t available.
...Roddick-Robson Rumble?
Some of my colleagues have suggested that Roddick took a veiled swipe at me during one of his press conferences at Key Biscayne. I wrote about the Roddick-Connors split on my blog while at Indian Wells where, for the record, Roddick lost before I arrived, so I didn’t see him. I didn’t attend Key Biscayne.
Here’s the exchange (courtesy of ASAP Sports):
Q. You've been very complimentary and respectful of Jimmy Connors, especially talking about how he's helped your backhand. Do you take even more pride in this accomplishment that you did it with just your brother in your corner?
ANDY RODDICK: I don't know. To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it until you just said something. You know, I know there are some journalists to write a story about why Jimmy and I break up and then head for the hills and don't show up for the next tournament.
I think that's kind of cowardly, but I promise you, Jimmy and I are still on great terms.
In my posting, I never suggested he and Connors were not on good terms. Then again, maybe I’m being narcissistic to think Roddick is reading my blog. Besides, it was others who pointed it out to me. I never would have noticed it otherwise.
Andy, if you’re reading, can you weigh in? “My fiancée beat me in our N.C.A.A. brackets,” Roddick said of the payback, a near buzz cut on the sides with a long, flat stripe down the middle.
3. JELENA JANKOVIC: At the beginning of the year, it looked like a freefall was in order for enigmatic Serb, who is constantly complaining about minor illnesses and injuries. But she's been more than game during the first quarter, reaching the Aussie Open and Indian Wells semis, as well as the Miami final. She puts the "D" in defensive and can scald her backhand. But with her attackable serve, she may never win a major. (3)
...9. AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA: There are so many other teens with flashier games, but none who have learned to use their tools more effectively than the small yet resourceful Pole. (9)
10. VERA ZVONEREVA: Just when you though she'd never shed a tear for you or herself again, the temperamental Russian is charging toward the Top 10 and maybe this time will stick around for a longer stint. (7)
...As Pete Sampras has been showing us, a player is capable of serving rockets well into his or her thirties, and in Brenda's case the irony is that she's serving better than she was before her back gave out. She altered her technique and now relies as much on variety and placement as naked power. She also feels that the advent of the radar gun has overly emphasized pure service speed - for fans and players alike.
Discussing serve strategy, she made the interesting point that most girls really don't have a kick serve (Lisa Raymond is an exception, which explains her success in doubles) with enough oomph to hurt opponents: "When a guy like James Blake or Andy Roddick (Brenda has faced both of their serves in exhibition play) hits a kicker, it's over my head (mind you, this is a woman who stands 6-2). Most girls, though, have just enough action on it to put the ball where it sits up nicely for the return."
...Andy Roddick
..."A recent MRI showed contusion of her lunate bone with some inflammation and a suspected tear in the volar capsule. She is undergoing arthroscopy to repair the capsule and to clean out debris formed from chronic inflammation," a Globosport press release said. Sprem sprung the biggest upset of the tournament when she turned back third-seeded and No. 10 world-ranked Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 1-6, 6-1. That puts Sprem on Amelia Island Plantation's Stadium Court for a third-round afternoon match against Davenport, who said it will be "my most challenging match on clay so far."
"Sprem is one of those players that you know is really dangerous when she's healthy, and obviously she's healthy here," Davenport said of Sprem having missed most of 2007 as she recovered from elbow surgery. "I haven't played her now in two years or so, but when I last played her, she had a big serve and moved pretty well. It's going to be a way different match than the first two matches I've played here."
...And Hewitt's view? Too many variables. Davis Cup should be all about the team, and some are stronger than others. Against.
"Rankings are there for individual success, and obviously if you come from a smaller nation and you're not able to get into the world group at some stage, it's probably not the fairest thing to have points in Davis Cup," said Hewitt, who had been unaware of the joint ATP-International Tennis Federation decision.
Sprem, who missed a good portion of the past 12 months because of an operation on her right elbow, had to win two matches Sunday before the tournament started just to earn a spot in the 56-player field.
..."Well, we're probably going to get two losses,'' Bob Bryan said, finishing the thought. "If we're going to be playing for the next whatever, as long as Pat [McEnroe]'s around, he's probably going to choose us to play doubles.
"Can we stay unblemished? We're 14-and-1 right now, and it would be great to say let's just put that in a time capsule, and leave it, but we're going to put this on the line for the next five years. We really can't think about 15-and-1, because we're not going to stop. It could be 15-and-2, it could be 20-and-3.
"Maybe we can be the best team of all time for a few weeks.'' Alona: Some of my friends did. Some of them saw the billboard of the ad in New York City and they were sure it was Anna. We might look a little similar in that ad, but not in real life.
I think the most logical solution is for the USTA to wield some muscle. It's no secret that ESPN is angling to take over the rights to the U.S. Open after this year. What if the USTA said: "You can have the Open but you have to guarantee X hours of live coverage from the other big American events." Whatever, this is a serious problem. When the top American plays Federer at a big American tournament, and the match isn't available on live television, it's time to panic.
...I think, technically, it's hard to argue that [Mikhail Youzhny] deserved some sort of punishment. Not sure there's a clause for "forehead abuse" but it is problematic that a totally self-inflicted injury -- and one that had nothing to do with athletic exertion -- can trigger an injury timeout.
...A Page Six-style blind item: Which Grand Slam champion has apparently seduced a prominent New York billionaire? ..."As we said last year, across Nottingham, Surbiton, Eastbourne and Edgbaston we were making losses somewhere in the region of £1.5million," said Draper. "It was great," Sharapova said when asked for her first impressions of the venue. "I love the stadium. I love how quaint everything is. The trees around the stadium - I don't think any of the players get to see much of that during the year, and it's kind of homey. It's only a 31/2-hour drive from my house in Sarasota, so it kind of feels like a backyard in a way.["] ...Fans at Amelia Island tasted that drama Tuesday when Bethanie Mattek and Vladimira Uhlirova survived a 33-minute super tiebreaker to beat Jill Craybas and Michaella Krajicek 5-7, 6-4, 21-19. From 2009-2011, the dates are as follows:
First Round - Week before Indian Wells
Quarterfinals - Week after Wimbledon
Semifinals - Week after the US Open
Final - Week after the ATP Tour World Championships
...Davis Cup will be awarded ranking points under the following structure:
a) Accumulated points over the preceding 52-week period for the 4 rounds of Davis Cup and the play-off round will count as one result. For 2009 onwards, this will be one of the tournaments in the new premium tier 500 category, the best of which count towards a player’s ranking.
b) Points will not be awarded for dead rubbers.
c) Players who don’t play a round of matches will be awarded points based on the immediately preceding round (i.e. a player who doesn’t play the first round but plays the second round will earn 40 points for each singles match won in that second round).
...The discomfort worsened, and Harkleroad underwent a diagnostic ultrasound that showed she had a blood-filled cyst on her ovary. "The advice I was given was that I could play with it as long as I could deal with the pain," she said. "So I took four Aleve and two Pamprin and went out for my third-round match."
...After she got back to the hotel with her boyfriend and coach, Chuck Adams, Harkleroad spent several hours vomiting, unable to eat or drink, and grew progressively weaker. "I finally looked up at him and said, 'Call 911,'" she said. "It's the first time I've ever been in an ambulance, and I had a panic attack. My hands and tongue went numb. It was so scary. I just wasn't sure I was going to make it."
The cyst had ruptured. Harkleroad said she bled internally, affecting her liver function, and wound up losing more than a quart of blood... Harkleroad said she hasn't been in any hurry to remarry, but recent events have made her think. "We're talking about it," she said of herself and Adams.
Vaidisova's official website quoted her manager as saying, "Contrary to what some people are saying, Nicole and Ales remain very close to each other and people that know Nicole personally know how important her family is to her and always will be.["]
...Gaudio says he does not know when he will next play again. "I don't want to say I am retired because perhaps in three months I want to play... the bug can bite at any time," he told Argentine website Infobae.com. "For now, I'm happy and enjoying life away from tennis, but you never know."
...Mantilla retires, just under a year after making a part-time return to the circuit after skn cancer.
...Safin will work with Marc Rosset or most of the clay season while his regular coach Hernan Gumy awaits the birth of a child. ..."I'm aiming to be back playing as soon as possible. I love this tournament and it's important for me to come and say hi to the fans and be a part of it.
"I'm not going to get any further into it. I love the sport and want to be back as soon as possible. I'm going to evaluate things week by week. Of course I want to be in Europe, I don't want to be at home watching on TV.
Williams will not play for the United States in the Fed Cup semifinal against Russia on April 26-27, but did not rule out any other tournaments and said she still wants to play in the French Open beginning in late May.
Despite her No. 16 seed, Davenport wishes the Bausch & Lomb Championships draw had gone a little differently. Her first-round opponent will be fellow American Vania King, who received a wild card into the Amelia Island field. They will face off in the third match on Stadium Court today.
...It might be tennis superstar Maria Sharapova who fills the stands of Stadium Court at Amelia Island Plantation tonight. But her opponent will have at least a small cheering section, too. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova's sister, Ivona, lives in Ponte Vedra Beach, along with her boyfriend. "I will have my fans as well," Strycova said with a smile.
"I was pretty happy to come back to 5-all, because going into a third set is never easy," Mauresmo said. "You never know how it's going to be."
And she was happy not to have to find out Monday night.
...Mathieu said he understands Forget's mix-and-match thought process, but hopes he isn't devoting a week to Davis Cup practice only to find himself on the bench. "He said to prepare yourself to play, so I'm taking it the same way as if there had only been four players selected," he said.
...Bob and Mike Bryan are confident that they'll face Clement and Llodra in the end, and Roddick isn't buying the notion that there's any uncertainty. "They're trying to say Mathieu is on the team, but Clement is on the rooming list," he said last week. Roddick would love another shot at Gasquet, who played a near-perfect match against him at Wimbledon last year to eliminate him in the quarterfinals.
Forget insisted that he's not trying to hoodwink anyone. "I can't imagine going into this [practice week] with just four players," he said. "The Americans are so strong and they have so much confidence that if we want to make them worry a little bit, we have to play at a very high level." Ahead: Rain (Korean pop star?) with 87 rating/177, 346 votes; Britney Spears 81/76,010; Stephen Colbert 81/31,909, Stephenia Meyer (children's author) 80/63,748.
Behind: Hillary Clinton 76/24,206; Perez Hilton 75/51,050; Madonna 75/17,651; Jon Stewart 74/7,560; Nelson Mandela 1/6,349; Barack Obama 70/26,132.
Can you believe they let us vote (in elections)? Flashing the ring, Evert, who is engaged to pro golfer Greg Norman, said, "It's pretty. It's not gaudy. It's beautiful."
"It's big," said Winfrey, who quickly added, "It's not too big for your finger." Replies Evert: "I have little hands." But Serena is still the most accomplished player of her generation, and the importance of that thrashing of Henin cannot be understated. The Belgian had soundly beaten her in their past three meetings — all 2007 Grand Slam quarterfinals — and revenge was certainly a factor. Moreover, proving to herself that she still had the goods to best the six-time Grand Slam champion was utmost on her mind.
As always, Serena offered a self-centered, perfectionist's analysis, where the result is always on her performance, not her opponent's. "I didn't make as many errors," Williams said. "I stayed positive no matter what happened. I think that was a good turnaround. It wasn't easy. It was just the fact of me making the right shots at the right time. I've been saying that tennis is my priority, and I feel that it is. Hopefully my results will finally start to show what I've been practicing and working on so diligently."
...Henin said after the quarterfinal match that she played without courage. Like Serena, she's addicted to her own mantras. She knows that she has to take it to Williams from the first ball of every rally in order to beat her, and must have been hoping that she would be part of another error-strewn performance from Williams. "We have once again shown how many of us there are, and that we are fighting. All of my victories are your victories too. You must know that both me and my family will always be with you. I love you", Đoković said, to the cheers from the crowd.
...In Zvečan, Đoković met with local youth at the tennis court he financed in the Serb town. Williams had a touch of uncertainty in her voice when she delivered those lines. She also sounded a bit unsure when she said she was "bound to" become comfortable again at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, where she suffered two difficult loses to Henin last year. Maybe she will, maybe she won't. But if Williams looks hard enough for that old champion she used to be, it won't be long before she finds a new one — one who might not dominate every match — win every tournament, or strike fear in the hearts of her opponents. She'll win sometimes and remain wonderful to watch. It suits her, and tennis, just fine.
aes denies comments against Bhupathi
- PTI
Talking to reporters after India's Davis Cup tie against Japan, Paes vehemently denied commenting that agreeing to play with Bhupathi was the worst decision of his career, which he regrets even today. "I cherish my doubles partnership with Mahesh and at no point of time did I say that I regret playing with him. All I said was that I regret giving up my singles career but it had nothing to do with Mahesh," Paes said.
Paes regrets playing doubles with Bhupathi
- ESPN Star Sports
ESS: You and Mahesh together gave Indian tennis a new image in the Nineties. But then everything seemed to go wrong? People now remember the two of you for all the wrong reasons.
Davis Cup quarters preview
- Matthew Cronin, tennisreporters.net
In Argentina, captain Alberto Mancini named Jose Acasuso as his second singles player against Sweden. No. 40 Acasuso was picked ahead of Juan Monaco and Guillermo Cañas, who are both in The top 25. "All three of them are playing at a very similar level. Maybe one ends up taking a decision on a feeling rather than purely tennis reasons," said Mancini.
The De Villiers Letter and Other Items
- Douglas Robson, Sports Dish
Here is a near-verbatim copy of the letter as described to me by a person familiar with it:
On Top of the World, and Playing Like It, Too
- New York Times
Andy Roddick showed up with the United States Davis Cup team for a quarterfinal draw ceremony with France on Thursday featuring a less-than-flattering Mohawk haircut, courtesy of a lost bet.
Fish first to commit to 2008 Pilot Pen
- Connecticut Post
TennisReporters.net first-quarter women's top 10
- Matthew Cronin, tennisreporters.net (partial link only)
2. ANA IVANOVIC: Reaching the Aussie Open and then winning Indian Wells puts her just below Sharapova. But her loss to Davenport is Miami is a bit troubling. She absolutely must add more pop to her first serve and learn to grind her way into matches on a more consistent basis when her lethal forehand is off. Also, taking five weeks off post-Miami is very risky for a young player. But the thought here is that AI has a Slam in her this year. (2)
Hoops History: WNBA Scores U.S. Open First
- Tennis Week
The New York Liberty of the Women’s National Basketball Association will make its mark on the professional basketball landscape when it will play in the first regular season outdoor game in the sport’s history.
Bombs Away
- Peter Bodo, TennisWorld
Brenda got back in the game by pure serendipity. Not long after she lost a 2005 exhibition set to Venus Williams, 6-4, the Dutch Federation offered her the Fed Cup coaching job. She accepted the position, and when she started working out with the team she began beating her players (except for Michaella Krajicek). The Federation types said, Wow, you never told us you actually still play. Heck with the captaincy, Brenda, lace 'em up! The Dutch press jumped in, too, and pretty soon there was a draft Brenda movement afoot. At the time, she had two aspiring juniors living in her home in Juno Beach, as well as various other coaching and camp-related obligations.
First Quarter Report Cards
- Steve Tignor, TENNIS.com
Nikolay Davydenko
The timing on the backhand, the balance on the forehand, the racquet speed on both sides, the ability to cut off the angle when he’s moving wide: The guy is a pure tennis player, and fun to watch when he’s feeling confident. Like his fellow traveler Jankovic, he was also having a status quo year until the draw opened up in Key Biscayne. Credit him for making the most of the opportunity. But is he still too diffident, too deep in his shell, too willing to chase the next paycheck halfway across the globe, to challenge for a major? I’m thinking, unfortunately, yes. A-
Is this the year of the Roddick? In danger of becoming the Next Vitas Gerulaitis—i.e., a self-deprecating second-fiddle—he’s suddenly knocked off Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer. The latter match was about as well as I’ve seen him play since he blitzed Lleyton Hewitt at the U.S. Open in 2006—Roddick was even acing Federer. But he’s also thrown in a few clunkers and hasn’t solved his basic baseline quandary: Should he just do what he does best and grind? Or does he need to keep trying to venture out of his comfort zone and into the forecourt? Unfortunately, his season is on hold for the moment, with the clay spring arriving. Or is it? Is this the year he goes deep somewhere on clay? I’m thinking quarters in Rome. B+
Sania to undergo wrist surgery in US
- Reuters
India's tennis ace Sania Mirza would undergo surgery on Thursday on her troublesome right wrist in Miami which would put her out of action for at least four weeks.
Davis Cup Notebook
- Winston Salem-Journal
“This is 10-15 percent faster than that court against Spain, and that was a quick court,” Bryan said. “So I’ll tell you, this is fast, fast, really fast. Probably the fastest court you’re going to see all year. They don’t make courts like this on the tour.
“You know, grass is actually slower.”
Tsonga out with torn meniscus
- Winston-Salem Journal
France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga left the team and flew back to Paris yesterday after an MRI performed on Tuesday revealed a torn meniscus in his right knee.
Davenport knows challenge is coming
- Florida Times-Union
After cruising to her second lopsided win in the past two days - 6-1, 6-4 over fellow American Jill Craybas on Wednesday night - Davenport knows the Bausch & Lomb Championships competition will go to a higher level, starting with today's match against Croatia's Karolina Sprem.
Hewitt stands up for Davis Cup
- Linda Pearce, Melbourne Age
Indeed, few people are as well qualified to discuss yesterday's announcement that, after years of negotiation, procrastination and debate, ATP rankings points will be awarded for live rubbers in world group and world group play-off ties from next year.
Sprem upsets Hantuchova
- Florida Times-Union
Just ask No. 3-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, who faced qualifier Karolina Sprem in a second-round match Wednesday afternoon and dropped a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 decision to become the tournament's highest-seeded player to lose thus far.
U.S.-France likely to come down to the wire; Spain, Argentina should cruise
- ESPN
Davis Cup competition brings out very best in Bryan brothers
- Bonnie d. Ford, ESPN
Should the twins win their match against the French duo of Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra this Saturday in Winston-Salem, N.C., they'll have achieved a terrific double themselves. The world's top-ranked duo would push its career Davis Cup record to 15-1, which represents both the most victories and the best winning percentage in U.S. team history -- a ledger that goes back 108 years.
Henman joins BBC Wimbledon team
- BBC
Britain's most successful open era player Tim Henman will join BBC Sport's team of experts for coverage of this year's Wimbledon Championships.
Alona Bondarenko And The "Keep It Pure" Mystery
- Darren Rovell, CNBC
Darren: Do you think you look like Anna Kournikova in that ad?
Mailbag: The Williams soap opera
- Jon Wertheim, SI.com
The spotty, erratic, often absent coverage really marred two otherwise excellent events recently. The Tours can work to alleviate the problem but, as I see it, the minute they start to subsidize coverage, every other sanctioned event will demand a handout. The Tennis Channel can come to the rescue but, as I understand it, the events are still concerned about the channel's relatively weak penetration. I think we're going to see more streaming audio online but there's limited revenue there.
The Hit List: Williams sisters' never-ending Indian Wells saga
- Matthew Cronin, tennisreporters.net
ATP CHIEF DE VILLIERS .UNDER FIRE FROM SINGLES PLAYERS: ATP Tour Executive Chairman/President Etienne de Villiers is under fire from the top singles players, who aren't convinced that his contract should be renewed when it expires in December. But sources tell TR that the doubles specialists are firmly in his corner and still appreciate how he stepped in and stopped their near extinction when he first took over from Mark Miles. But without the support of at least some of the top singles players, de Villiers has no real chance at survival.
Bwin launches legal proceedings against French Tennis Federation - report
- Thompson Financial
The Austrian online gaming company Bwin Interactive Entertainment AG has lodged a defamation lawsuit with a Paris court against the French tennis federation FFT, the Austrian news agency APA reports.
LTA look to halt losses
- PA
From 2009 there will be a combined event at Eastbourne for men and women, meaning Nottingham's ATP tournament will be scrapped after this year.
Sharapova's smashing
- Florida Times-Union
On the court, Sharapova's game gained the same such approval from fans and her opponent, as the world's fifth-ranked player overwhelmed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova 6-1, 6-3 on Stadium Court at Amelia Island Plantation.
Venus mum on 'medical issue'
- Florida Times-Union
Loyal Bausch & Lomb Championships fans might recall Bryanne Stewart and Nicole Pratt's record-setting doubles victory in 2006, when the Australians outlasted Corina Morariu and Rennae Stubbs 22-20 in a second-set tiebreaker.
Davenport dominates
- Florida Times-Union
"To be honest, it felt a little awkward," Davenport said of playing on clay again. "When I was thinking about it a couple days ago, it's been three years since I've set foot on a clay court. Definitely, it's not my strong suit, but I like playing this tournament a lot. I like that court [Stadium Court] a lot.
ITF and ATP announce dates and ranking points
- Davis Cup site
Davis Cup Dates 2009-2013
Tsonga out of Davis Cup tie
- AFP
"Tsonga felt pain in his right knee which was similar to the pain he felt playing doubles in Miami last week," said a statement from the French Tennis Federation (FFT).
Roddick hoping good times keep on rolling
- Winston-Salem Journal
“It’s not always about the coach,” Roddick said. “You know, I feel pretty relaxed on the court right now. I literally went to Dubai and was sleeping before my first-round match because of the time change. I went out and just played and didn’t feel a lot of pressure. I don’t know why. If I knew exactly what it was and you could pinpoint sports, then a lot of us would be a lot more successful all the time.["]
Davis Cup Notebook
- Winston-Salem Journal
Davis Cup atmosphere, fast courts at Joel Coliseum suit James Blake's game
- Winston-Salem Journal
Blake is an avid North Carolina basketball fan and has been since idolizing Michael Jordan as a youngster. He narrowed his college choices to Harvard and North Carolina... “Carolina was the only other school I seriously considered, and it was mainly because I was such a big Michael Jordan fan,” Blake said. “I just started liking everything about him, where he went to school, everything. And the coach there, Sam Paul, is great, too. I liked him a lot, and I just loved the campus and had a lot of fun there. So I’m still a Carolina fan, always will be. I just like the place a lot.”
Harkleroad eyeing May return to court after surgery
- Bonnie D. Ford, ESPN
Ashley Harkleroad, who helped carry the U.S. Fed Cup team through the quarterfinal round earlier this year with two victories, is recovering from surgery to remove her right ovary on March 31 after a frightening episode during the Sony Ericsson Open. Harkleroad expects to resume practicing next week and could be playing again by early May. "The good news is that if I want to have babies, the doctors said no problem," Harkleroad told ESPN.com by phone from her family's home in Georgia. "If I couldn't, I'd be really depressed.
The Ticker
- Tennis.com
Vaidisova is no longer working with coach and stepdad Ales Kodat. "At this time, this is the best decision for us to make," Kodat told a Czech newspaper. "It can help us both professionally."
Venus cagey over Amelia Island withdrawal
- Reuters
Venus Williams refused on Tuesday to elaborate on her reasons for pulling out of the Amelia Island Championships.
Venus takes indefinite leave from tennis for undisclosed reason
- AP
Williams said last week she was dealing with a medical issue when she announced her withdrawal from the Bausch & Lomb tournament. She played last week in the Sony Ericsson Open, losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarterfinals.
Davenport must work for good draw
- Florida Times-Union
"It's so weird for me when draws come out, because I could go anywhere," Davenport said. "I ended up with a seed here, but you just never know what happens with that. Before, you used to kind of always know, you'd get maybe a good draw, but now I've got to work for them."
Mauresmo advances
- Florida Times-Union
Savchuk had two set points in the 10th game to force a decisive third set, but Mauresmo fought them off, hitting a backhand cross court winner and forcing an error.
Nishikori ready for the challenge
- The Hindu
“I am playing Davis Cup for the first time. It is different from the circuit, and I have to play for Japan. I have played Hopman Cup. It was the same. I’m not feeling any pressure…just a little bit nervous,” said Nishikori, who is enjoying his career-best rank of 118 this week.
Viable options for French team, but who's it going to be?
- Bonnie D. Ford, ESPN
Gasquet skipped at least one day of practice in Key Biscayne, where Forget kept the players together for training sessions after they were eliminated from the Sony Ericsson.
The 2008 TIME 100 Finalists: Roger Federer
- TIME
>> Federer current No. 5 in voting (no kidding) with an 80 rating out of 14, 644 votes.
Andy Murray to play Indy tennis event
- Indianapolis Star
Andy Roddick's Fiancée Is One Buff Covergirl
- People magazine
Andy Roddick's fiancée, Brooklyn Decker, is no stranger to showing off her bikini bod. And the Sports Illustrated swimsuit model is definitely looking healthy as this month's cover girl for Fitness Magazine.
Chris Evert Shows Off Engagement Ring to Oprah
- People
"Let's see the rock," the show host demanded of tennis champ, who was talking about her close friendship with fellow net star (and costar on Tuesday's Oprah), Martina Navratilova.
Mirror.co.uk's Top 10 tennis tantrums
- Mirror.co.uk
Parity shines through in men's, women's tours
- Matthew Cronin, Foxsports
If Serena Williams can scald top-ranked Justine Henin 6-2, 6-0 in the quarterfinals of Miami's Sony Ericsson Open, then outlast world No. 3 Svetlana Kuznetsova and No. 4 Jelena Jankovic to win her fifth title in Miami, does that mean that she's prepared to embark on another reign of supremacy?
10,000 Kosovo Serbs welcome Đoković
- B92
Đoković, who organizers said yesterday decided to visit in order to show his support for the Serbs in the province, thanked everyone for coming to the town square in Kosovska Mitrovica to welcome him, stressing that he "did not expectd to see so many people".
Corretja to work with Andy…
- Andy Murray site
Corretja, 34, will work alongside Miles Maclagan and physical trainer Matt Little for the nine week stretch which includes the three Master Series events in Monte Carlo, Rome and Hamburg as well as the French Open.
Tallahassee Challenger features young guns Reynolds, Becker
- Tallahassee Democrat
This is the same event that 12th-ranked Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga used last year to begin his comeback from injuries.
Bobby Reynolds, fresh off his upset of Safin two weeks ago at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, heads a list of 24 players who have direct entry into the weeklong event.
Benjamin Becker, who is ranked No. 109 and also holds a win over Safin, is the second-highest ranked player expected. Reynolds is currently ranked No. 104.
The Newest Version of Serena Williams
- Tom Perrotta, New York Sun
"I've been working so hard, and I feel like everything will come together in time," she said. "Sometimes when it doesn't come together I get frustrated, but I feel like it's not going to be in vain."
Magazines this Month
April issue - Tennis (table of contents + web extras)
April issue - Australian Tennis (table of contents)
First Serve: The Bucket List - Bill Simons, Inside Tennis
The Buzz - Inside Tennis
Funny Folks
- Inside Tennis
Tennis' Top Ten Funniest - Inside Tennis
Who's Hot, Who's Not - Matthew Cronin, Inside Tennis
Serbian Wells - Inside Tennis
U.S. vs. France: No Fear of Les Blues - Inside Tennis
Tennis’ Political Endorsements - Inside Tennis
Inside Line - Tennis Week
Serbia's Tennis Mania - Tennis Week
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