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Dinara Safina

Andrea Petkovic: The True Tragic Heroine in Tennis

January 1, 2013 by David Kane

By David Kane

No matter a tennis fan’s complicated allegiances, the vast majority can agree that nobody wants to see a player in pain. Moreover, nobody wants to see an injured player before a new season has truly begin. Sadly, that was exactly what we were forced to witness this week; a mere hours into the 2013 season, the plucky but hapless Andrea Petkovic ruptured the meniscus in her right knee.
At the Hopman Cup, an exhibition event in Perth, Australia, the part-time YouTube celebrity/full-time wit had barely finished the first set against up-and-coming Australian Ashleigh Barty when she had to retire in tears with what would be diagnosed as her third major injury in the space of a year. No stranger to the bench, Petkovic suffered a back injury that ended her Australian summer last January, and an ankle injury one tournament into her comeback that took her out of contention for another four months.
All of this from a player who once suffered an ACL injury in 2008 that nearly ended her career.
Dubbed “Petkorazzi” by her fans, the German is a polarizing character; her brash style and on-court dance moves endear many and alienate others. She spent most of the 2011 season dancing her way into the top 10, with quarterfinal finishes at three of the four Grand Slam tournaments, and a run to finals of the Premier Mandatory event in Beijing, where she fell to Agnieszka Radwanska in three sets.
Spending most of 2012 on the sidelines undid most of her progress and caused a tumble from the top 100, but a late season surge that saw her make semifinals in Luxembourg and a WTA 125 in Pune gave her “Petkorazzis” hope that 2013 would see the beleaguered German star return to her former place among the game’s elite.
This newest setback promises to further delay such a return, this time perhaps indefinitely.
Despite your opinion of her, you cannot deny her horrible luck. Through it all, the perennially injured Petkovic has done her best to maintain her trademark sense of humor in the face of a very unfunny 12 months:

On the to-do-list: 1.Cut my hair. Short. Very short. 2.Dye it pink or blonde 3.Hold Rafa's hand until we're both healthy again.

— Andrea Petkovic (@andreapetkovic) December 30, 2012

Just kidding. I would never do that……the Rafa thing, I mean 😉

— Andrea Petkovic (@andreapetkovic) December 30, 2012


When a player seems to be followed by the proverbial rain cloud as Petkovic has been, the outside observer cannot help but be reminded of another one of our sport’s tragic figures, Dinara Safina. The former No. 1 was once plagued by chronic criticism regarding her status as a “Slamless Number One” only to become plagued by a chronic back injury that seems to have permanently removed her from a game she ostensibly once dominated.
Both Petkovic and Safina can be characterized as players who have unconditional love and passion for a game that has given them such heartache. While lacking the natural talent and fluid shots of their peers, these two women found success largely thanks to burning desires to succeed and the willingness to put in the long hours required for that success.
It has been said that determination can make up for good genes, that prodigal talents cannot neither compare to nor reach the heights of their less natural, but more disciplined, peers. Petkovic’s compatriot Julia Goerges and Safina’s own brother Marat may be known for their innate athletic gifts, but a healthy Petkovic and a mobile Safina were able to outpace rivals and siblings alike in a game that rewarded consistency as much as flashes of brilliance.
Qualifiers like “healthy” and “mobile” are important in situations like these, for an injured Goerges or Safin, with their natural ability, cannot (or could not) be counted out like Petkovic and Safina can be (or will be). For our determined underdogs, those years of dedicated and disciplined training, however admirable, created robotic and inorganic strokes that look the opposite of effortless. These unique game styles require precise timing and unhindered execution; inject injury or lay-off rust into the equation and the results are calamitous. Women who work so hard deserve better luck.
But one must return to the initial, unspoken question of “Why?” Why do such good-natured women and such dedicated athletes like Petkovic and Safina suffer bad luck to this undeservedly absurd degree?
Perhaps there is a reason why effortless styles of play tend to correlate with longevity. Roger Federer and Steffi Graf’s abilities to combine athleticism with balleticism allowed them to dominate the sport for decades at a time. The idea of an extended injury lay-off was simply a foreign concept to these two legends, and each had the same hunger and motivation as their less elegant peers.
As disappointing as these injury setbacks have been, Petkovic will likely return, and if Safina were not already physically exhausted, I do not doubt that she would do the same. These players’ love for the game is inspiring and while purists may scoff at their aesthetically displeasing technique, fans will always admire their dedication in the face of constant adversity. But there comes a point when we must ask whether style is truly subjective, and if these players’ unwavering drive to succeed is the very thing causing their bodies to fail.

Filed Under: David Kane, Lead Story Tagged With: Andrea Petkovic, Australian Open, Dinara Safina, petko, petkorazzi, petkovic knee injury, wta tennis news

A Blogger’s Christmas Carol: The Past, Present and Uncertain Future of Russian Women’s Tennis

December 24, 2012 by David Kane

By David Kane

Maria Sharapova

Two tweets from former World No. 2s, Vera Zvonareva’s announcement that she would be missing the upcoming Australian Open, and Svetlana Kuznetsova’s suspense-filled declaration that she indeed loved life, seemed to sum up the status quo for Russian women’s tennis these days. It feels like a lifetime ago that to be a Russian on the WTA Tour usually signified a player with a high ranking who made deep runs in major tournaments and, if nothing else, was a fierce competitor, a member of a contingent strong in numbers. As recently as 2009, there were four Russian women in the top 10, two in the top 4. As the 2013 season approaches, only Maria Sharapova remains among that elite group, with three others floating around the top twenty.
The formerly proud and prolific Russian horde even found themselves the butts of a light joke from Tennis Australia, who boasted that their best player, Samantha Stosur, could beat anyone with an “-ova” surname. That Stosur has failed to beat a player inside the top 50 Down Under since 2006 (and has a paltry head-to-head record against most Russians in general) illustrates how far things have fallen for what used to be the game’s most indomitable force.
With Christmas only hours away, imagine if you will, jaded tennis fans, several midnight visits from three of the most knowledgeable spirits: the Ghosts of Tennis Past, Present and the always ominous Ghost of Tennis Future. Allow these spirits to remind you of what has already been, and perhaps warn you of that which is soon to be.
It was a little over a decade ago that “Anna’s Army,” led by the glamorously talented Anna Kournikova, burst onto the women’s tour. While their leader failed to win a singles title, those who followed in her footsteps took full advantage of the road she paved. In 2004, thirty years after Soviet Olga Morozova reached the finals of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, the first three Russian women won Grand Slam titles at major tournaments that featured two all-Russian finals. While Sharapova has won most often on the sport’s biggest stages, compatriots like Svetlana Kuznetsova, Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva have more than made names for themselves with multiple Slam titles (Kuznetsova), 26 weeks atop the world rankings (Safina) and multiple Slam finals and semifinals (Dementieva).
The year 2009 represented a second crest on the wave of Russian dominance: Kuznetsova won the third all-Russian final of the Open Era, Safina was ranked No. 1 for most of the year, and Dementieva came within one backhand passing shot of upsetting Serena Williams for a place in the Wimbledon final. As the decade came to a close and talented youngsters like Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Maria Kirilenko began to post impressive results, the Russian horde looked as strong as ever.
Barely two years on, the Ghost of Tennis Present presents a wholly grimmer reality. Vera Zvonareva may have been the breakout player of 2010, reaching two Slam finals and peaking just behind the top spot in the rankings, but since then, “Anna’s Army” has done an almost complete about face. What could explain such a dramatic reversal of fortune? Ostensibly, injuries and early retirements are to blame. Dementieva retired at the end of 2010. Safina is indefinitely absent with a broken back. Kuznetsova and Zvonareva are rehabbing injuries in the hopes of reviving their stalled careers.
Truthfully, however, most of the Russian contingent could be diagnosed with problems that are as mental as they are physical. Over the years, it has become increasingly uncomfortable to watch these talented women fail to get out of their own way time and time again in important situations. Matches that look to be straightforward from the outset end up having more twists and turns than a Tolstoy novel, complete with double-digit double-faults and screaming into hands. Where most of the top men could have their names etched in to the final rounds of major tournaments in pen, even the faintest pencil tracing could derail what should be unassailable progress.
In fact, Maria Sharapova has been so successful at deviating from this tragic formula that, despite bearing the Russian flag at the London Olympics, American journalists and commentators hardly believe her to be of the same ilk, and frequently attempt to claim her as their own. This is wrong. Not only is Sharapova as Russian as her compatriots, but she has also suffered her own heart-wrenching losses to prove it.
The average Russian tennis player can be accused of many things, but rarely can it be said that she does not want success badly enough. In the last decade and a half, this diverse group of women has taken passion in this sport to a level where every point is a battle, every match a war. Painful as it can be to watch, the inherent entertainment value cannot be denied. More often than not, when a Russian takes the court, she takes on two adversaries: her opponent, and herself. When she wins, then, the victories are twice as sweet, for her and those who were swept up in her almost spiritual fervor and feel as if they helped will her over the finish line.
All of this is why what the Ghost of Tennis Future has to say is so important. Because they are so rarely the champions at the end of the fortnight, they may appear inconsequential to the many storylines in the canonical WTA soap opera. However, the drama that the Russian contingent brought and continues to bring (although on a muted level) kept viewers interested. They emit a passion for the game that could convert any causal fan (Bah Humbug!) into a diehard (Merry Christmas!).
Once, it was said that the Russians were coming. For a few brief-shining moments, they had arrived. Now, there are more than a few ghostly moans in the night, calling for their return.

Filed Under: David Kane, Lead Story Tagged With: Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova, russian women's tennis, sam stosur, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Zvonareva

Tennis History Tuesday – “RAFA ROUTED IN CHENNAI!”

January 6, 2009 by Randy Walker

Today, January 6, 2009, provides us with another edition of “Tennis History Tuesday” where TennisGrandstand.com gives readers another exclusive excerpt from my book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY. (New Chapter Press, $19.95, www.tennishistorybook.com). With the ATP Tour in Doha and Chennai this week, it is interesting to remember Ivan Ljubicic winning “the golden falcon” and Rafael Nadal losing in not-so-memorable fashion.rafael_nadal
1992 – Twenty-year-old Stefano Pescosolido of Italy is defaulted from his final round qualifying match at the New South Wales Open in Sydney, Australia, when, after being aced by his opponent, Johan Anderson of Australia, he slams his racquet to the ground in disgust and drop kicks the racquet into the stands, striking a 22-year-old woman in the face. The woman is taken to the hospital where she receives stitches over her right eye. Pescosolido is also fined $1,500.
2007 – Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia wins “the golden falcon”  – the championship trophy of the Doha Open in Qatar – when he defeats Andy Murray of Scotland 6-4, 6-4 in the men’s singles final for his seventh career ATP tournament title Says Ljubicic, “This trophy is one of the most beautiful we have in tennis – the golden falcon. I wanted it so bad. Andy was a very good opponent. He fought hard and didn’t miss many balls, but I was patient. I knew I had to be aggressive but not too aggressive. Against someone like Andy you need to find the perfect balance, because if you go to the net too much, he will pass you. And if you stay at the baseline, he’s too solid. So the combination was the key today.”
2008 – World No. 2 Rafael Nadal has nothing left in the tank in a 57-minute, 6-0, 6-1 loss to Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny in the final of the Chennai Open in India. The previous night, Nadal defeats fellow Spaniard Carlos Moya 6-7 (3), 7-6 (8), 7-6 (1) in 3 hours, 54 minutes – saving four match points in the second-set tie-break – in the longest three-set match on the ATP Tour in 15 years.”Rafa was not Rafa,” says Youzhny of Nadal winning only one game against him in the final. “I did not win today, it was Rafa who lost. I did not expect it to be so easy. I was lucky as he just couldn’t move and couldn’t play.”  Says a classy Nadal, “Maybe I was a bit tired after the long semifinal, but I lost the final because Mikhail played very well.”
2007 – Dinara Safina of Russia, the younger sister of U.S. and Australian Open champion Marat Safin, wins her fifth career WTA title, defeating Martina Hingis 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in the final of the Australian women’s hard court championships on the Gold Coast. Says Hingis of Safina, “Today she was just too good and everyone should watch her because she’s gonna be maybe even better than her brother. Marat is such a genius. He can play unbelievable tennis. She (Safina) definitely doesn’t have as much touch but she has more will and desire.”
2008 – In the final edition of the Australian Hardcourt Championships at the famed Memorial Drive tennis courts in Adelaide, Australia, Michael Llodra of France defeats Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 6-4 to win his second career ATP singles title. Llodra was the last directly accepted player into the 32-player field and only received entry into the event when countryman Richard Gasquet pulls out of the tournament due to a knee injury. Memorial Drive had hosted the highest-level of professional tennis since 1922 when Wimbledon champion Gerald Patterson first won at the site in 1922 at the South Australian Championships. In 2007, Tennis Australia announces it is moving the event to Brisbane.
1992 – John McEnroe is selected to the U.S. Davis Cup team for a record 12th time as he, Rick Leach, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi are named to the U.S. team that will face Argentina in the first round in Hawaii. McEnroe is previously tied for the U.S. lead of team selections with Bill Tilden and Stan Smith.
2007 – Jelena Jankovic of Serbia wins the first WTA Tour singles title of the 2007 season, defeating Russia’s Vera Zvonareva 7-6 (11-9), 5-7, 6-3 in the final of the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.
1936 – Hall of Famer member Darlene Hard, winner of 21 major titles including the French in 1960 and the U.S. Championships in 1960 and 1961, is born in Los Angeles. Hard, also a two-time Wimbledon finalist, was a member of victorious U.S. Fed Cup team in the inaugural year of the competition in 1963, teaming with Billie Jean King and Carole Graebner.

Filed Under: Archives, Lead Story Tagged With: Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Bill Tilden, Billie Jean King, Carlos Moya, Carole Graebner, Chennai Open, Darlene Hard, Dinara Safina, Doha Open, Gerald Patterson, Ivan Ljubicic, Jarkko Nieminen, Jelena Jankovic, Johan Anderson, John McEnroe, Marat Safin, Martina Hingis, Mikhail Youzhny, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal, Rick Leach, Stan Smith, Stefano Pescosolido, Vera Zvonareva

It’s a wrap: Adidas’ women’s competition line, s/s ‘09

January 5, 2009 by Erwin Ong

adidas-competitionw-winter09
Not a surprise, but the spring/summer 2009 adidas women’s competition line keeps low-key, staying with that bumblebee shade that we’ve been trying to expunge from the tennis palette for two years (Yonex is keeping adidas company during this sit-in).
The bright yellow is broken up by black lines around the back of both the tank and the cap sleeve top, while the standard three-stripe detail makes an appearance on the sleeve of the latter.
adidas-competitionw-winter09b
There’s a diamond in the rough, though: continuing with the Asian-inspired Australian Open top, adidas has produced this red mock wrap cap sleeve tee to kick of its players’ 2009 campaign. (With Anna Chakvetadze defecting to Fila, Dinara Safina and Patty Schnyder will be the highest-ranked women playing in these pieces.)
Buy: adidas Competition Tank and Cap Sleeve Top, neon yellow/black, starting at $45; Competition Skort, white, $45; all items available at shopadidas.com in January 2009.

Filed Under: TSF Tagged With: adidas, Anna Chakvetadze, Dinara Safina, fashion, Patty Schnyder, sports, Tennis

On This Day In Tennis History Is Latest Book Release From New Chapter Press

November 11, 2008 by Tennis Grandstand

WASHINGTON, D.C. – New Chapter Press has announced the publication of its latest book – On This Day In Tennis History -a calendar-like compilation of historical and unique anniversaries, events and happenings from the world of tennis through the years – written by Randy Walker, the sports marketing and media specialist, tennis historian and former U.S. Tennis Association press officer.
On This Day In Tennis History ($19.95, 528 pages), is a fun and fact-filled, this compilation offers anniversaries, summaries, and anecdotes of events from the world of tennis for every day in the calendar year. Presented in a day-by-day format, the entries into this mini-encyclopedia include major tournament victory dates, summaries of the greatest matches ever played, trivia, and statistics as well as little-known and quirky happenings. Easy-to-use and packed with fascinating details, the book is the perfect companion for tennis and general sports fans alike and is an excellent gift idea for the holiday season. The book features fascinating and unique stories of players such as John McEnroe, Don Budge, Bill Tilden, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova among many others. On This Day In Tennis History is available for purchase via on-line book retailers and in bookstores in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. More information on the book can be found at www.tennishistorybook.com
Said Hall of Famer Jim Courier of the book, “On This Day In Tennis History is a fun read that chronicles some of the most important-and unusual-moments in the annals of tennis. Randy Walker is an excellent narrator of tennis history and has done an incredible job of researching and compiling this entertaining volume.” Said tennis historian Joel Drucker, author of Jimmy Connors Saved My Life, “An addictive feast that you can enjoy every possible way-dipping in for various morsels, devouring it day-by-day, or selectively finding essential ingredients. As a tennis writer, I will always keep this book at the head of my table.” Said Bill Mountford, former Director of Tennis of the USTA National Tennis Center, “On This Day In Tennis History is an easy and unique way to absorb the greatest-and most quirky-moments in tennis history. It’s best read a page a day!”
Walker is a writer, tennis historian and freelance publicist and sports marketer. A 12-year veteran of the U.S. Tennis Association’s Marketing and Communications Division, he served as the press officer for the U.S. Davis Cup team from 1997 to 2005 and for the U.S. Olympic tennis teams in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He also served as the long-time editor of the U.S. Open Record Book during his tenure at the USTA from 1993 to 2005.
More information on the book can be found at www.tennistomes.com as well as on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1627089030&ref=name and on myspace at http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=428100548
People mentioned in the book include, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Goran Ivanisevic, Andre Agassi, Venus Williams, Serena Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Monica Seles, Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Maria Sharapova, Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters, Amelie Mauresmo, Anna Kounikova, Jennifer Capriati, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Martina Hingis, Gustavo Kuerten, Svetlana Kuznetsova, James Blake, Wilmer Allison, Mal Anderson, Arthur Ashe, Juliette Atkinson, Henry “Bunny” Austin, Tracy Austin, Boris Becker, Kark Behr, Pauline Betz, Bjorn Borg, Jean Borotra, John Bromwich, Norman Brookes, Louise Brough, Jacques Brugnon, Butch Buchholz, Don Budge, Maria Bueno, Rosie Casals, Michael Chang, Philippe Chatrier, Dodo Cheney, Henri Cochet, Maureen Connolly, Jimmy Connors, Jim Courier, Ashley Cooper, Margaret Court, Jack Crawford, Allison Danzig, Dwight Davis, Lottie Dod, John Doeg, Laurence Doherty, Reggie Doherty, Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers, Jaroslav Drobny, Margaret duPont, Francoise Durr, James Dwight, Stefan Edberg, Roy Emerson, Chis Evert, Bob Falkenburg, Neale Fraser, Shirley Fry, Althea Gibson, Pancho Gonzalez, Evonne Goolagong, Arthur Gore, Steffi Graf, Bitsy Grant, Darlene Hard, Doris Hart, Anne Jones, Gladys Heldman, Slew Hester, Bob Hewitt, Lew Hoad, Harry Hopman, Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, Joe Hunt, Frank Hunter, Helen Jacobs, Bill Johnston, Perry Jones, Bob Kelleher, Billie Jean King, Jan Kodes, Karel Kozeluh, Jack Kramer, Rene Lacoste, Bill Larned, Art Larsen, Rod Laver, Ivan Lendl, Suzanne Lenglen, George Lott, Gene Mako, Molla Mallory, Hana Mandlikova, Alice Marble, Dan Maskell, Simone Mathieu, Mark McCormack, John McEnroe, Ken McGregor, Kitty Godfree, Chuck McKinley, Maurice McLoughlin, Frew McMillian, Don McNeill, Elisabeth Moore, Angela Mortimer, Gardnar Mulloy, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, John Newcombe, Yannick Noah, Jana Novotna, Betty Nuthall, Alex Olmedo, Rafael Osuna, Frank Parker, Gerald Patterson, Budge Patty, Fred Perry, Nicola Pietrangeli, Adrian Quist, Patrick Rafter, Dennis Ralson, Vinnie Richards, Nancy Richey, Cliff Richey, Bobby Riggs, Tony Roche, Mervyn Rose, Ken Rosewall, Elizbeth Ryan, Gabriela Sabatini, Pete Sampras, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Manuel Santana, Dick Savitt, Ted Schroeder, Gene Scott, Richard Sears, Frank Sedgman, Pancho Segura, Vic Seixas, Frank Shields, Pam Shriver, Stan Smith, Fred Stolle, Bill Talbert, Bill Tilden, Tony Trabert, Lesley Turner, Jimmy Van Alen, John Van Ryn, Guillermo Vilas, Ellsworth Vines, Brian Gottfried, Virginia Wade, Holcombe Ward, Watson Washburn, Mal Whitman, Mats Wilander, Tony Wilding, Helen Wills Moody, Sidney Wood, Robert Wrenn, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Todd Woodbridge, Marat Safin, Leslie Allen, Sue Barker, Jonas Bjorkman, Mahesh Bhupathi, Donald Dell, Albert Costa, Mark Cox, Owen Davidson, Pat Cash, Mary Carillo, John Isner, Roscoe Tanner, Vijay Amritraj, Mark Woodforde, Tim Henman, Richard Krajicek, Conchita Martinez, Mary Joe Fernandez, Cliff Drysdale, Mark Edmondson, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Zina Garrson, Roland Garros, Wojtek Fibak, Tom Gullikson, Andres Gimeno, Vitas Gerulaitis, Fernando Gonzalez, Tim Henman, Goran Ivanisevic, Andrea Jaeger, Ivo Karlovic, Richard Krajicek, Petr Korda, Luke Jensen, Murphy Jensen, Rick Leach, Iva Majoil, Barry MacKay, Ivan Ljubicic, Cecil Mamiit, David Caldwell, Alex Metreveli, Nicolas Massu, Todd Martin, Gene Mayer, Thomas Muster, Tom Okker, Charlie Pasarell, Mary Pierce, Whitney Reed, Leander Paes, Renee Richards, Helen Sukova, Michael Stich, Betty Stove, Ion Tiriac, Brian Teacher, Wendy Turnbull,  Richards, Fabrice Santoro, Ai Sugiyama, Patrick McEnroe, Camille Pin, Phil Dent, Jelena Dokic, Mark Edmondson, Gael Monfils, Xavier Malisse, Dinara Safina, Barry Lorge, Stefano Pescosolido, Fabrice Santoro, Roscoe Tanner, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Roger Smith, Erik van Dillen, Gene Mayer, Tamara Pasek, Stefan Koubek, Jie Zheng, Gisela Dulko, Kristian Pless, Chuck McKinley, Marty Riessen, Brad Gilbert, Tim Mayotte, Andrea Petkovic, Klara Koukalova, Bobby Reynolds, Dominik Hrbaty, Andreas Seppi, Christopher Clarey, Casey Dellacqua, Anders Jarryd, Janko Tipsarevic, Nadia Petrova, Christian Bergstrom, Ramesh Krishnan, Emily Sanchez, Marcos Baghdatis, Mark Philippousssis, Wally Masur, Paul McNamee, Daniela Hantuchova, Gerry Armstrong, Younes El Aynaoui, Thomas Johansson, Pat Cash, Lisa Raymond, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Chanda Rubin, Tony Roche, Alex O’Brien, Petr Korda, Karol Kucera, Amelie Mauresmo, Juan Gisbert, Pablo Cuevas, Jim Pugh, Rick Leach, Julien Boutter, Larry Stefanki, Chris Woodruff, Jill Craybas, Sania Mirza, Mike Leach, Maggie Maleeva, Guillermo Canas, Guillermo Coria, Donald Young, Dick Stockton, Johan Kriek, Milan Srejber, Zina Garrison, Slyvia Hanika, Karin Knapp, Laura Granville, Kei Nishikori, Scott Davis, Paul Goldstein, Alberto Martin, Nicolas Kiefer, Joachim Johansson, Jonathan Stark, Jakob Hlasek, Jeff Tarango, Amanda Coetzer, Andres Gomez, Richey Reneberg, Francisco Clavet, Radek Stepanek, Miloslav Mecir, Jose-Luis Clerc, Colin Dibley, Mikael Pernfors, Martin Mulligan,  Robbie Weiss,  Hugo Chapacu, Victor Pecci, Charlie Bricker, Greg Rusedski, Robin Finn, Kimiko Date, David Nalbandian, Goran Ivanisevic, Mikhail Youzhny, Nicole Pratt, Bryanne Stewart, Novak Djokovic, Rennae Stubbs, Corina Morariu, Marc Rosset, Kenneth Carlsen, Kimiko Date, Ryan Harrison, Richard Gasquet, Jimmy Arias, Jim Leohr, Felix Mantilla, Cedric Pioline, Annabel Croft, Brooke Shields, Jaime Yzaga, Slobodan Zivojinovic, Alberto Mancini, Peter McNamara, Andrei Chesnokov, Fabrice Santoro, Bud Collins, Mardy Fish, Sebastien Grosjean, Donald Dell, Petr Kuczak, Magnus Norman, Hicham Arazi, Nduka Odizor, Lori McNeil, Horst Skoff, Karolina Sprem, Ros Fairbank, Linda Siegel, Chris Lewis, Kevin Curren, Thierry Tulasne, Guy Forget, Fred Tupper, Jaime Fillol, Belus Prajoux, Ricardo Cano, Georges Goven, Ray Moore, Charlie Pasarell, Paul Annacone, Tomas Smid, Dmitry Tursunov, Elena Dementieva, Arnaud DiPasquale, Carl Uwe Steeb, Bill Scanlon, Jose Higueras, Jay Berger, Jana Novotna, Bill Dwyre, Lisa Dillman, Sean Sorensen, Paul McNamee, Jiri Novak, Benjamin Becker, Ion Tiriac, Neil Amdur, Tim Gullikson, Jan-Michael Gambill, Taylor Dent, Bryan Shelton, Vijay Amritraj, Martin Verkerk, Brian Gottfried, Carlos Moya, Jacco Eltingh, Adriano Panatta, John Feinstein, Aaron Krickstein, Wilhelm Bungert, Derrick Rostagno, Torben Ulrich, Daniel Nestor, Ray Ruffels, Cliff Drysdale, James Reilly, Andy Murray, Leander Paes, Alicia Molik, Barry MacKay among others.
New Chapter Press is also the publisher of The Bud Colins History of Tennis by Bud Collins, The Roger Federer Story, Quest for Perfection by Rene Stauffer and Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli and the soon to be released title The Lennon Prophecy by Joe Niezgoda. Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press is an independent publisher of books and part of the Independent Publishers Group. More information can be found at www.newchapterpressmedia.com

Filed Under: Archives, Lead Story Tagged With: Aaron Krickstein, Adrian Quist, Adriano Panatta, Ai Sugiyama, Albert Costa, Alberto Mancini, Alberto Martin, Alex Metreveli, Alex O'Brien, Alex Olmedo, Alice Marble, Alicia Molik, Allison Danzig, Althea Gibson, Amanda Coetzer, Amelie Mauresmo, Ana Ivanovic, Anders Jarryd, Andre Agassi, Andrea Jaeger, Andrea Petkovic, Andreas Seppi, Andrei Chesnokov, Andres Gimeno, Andres Gomez, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Angela Mortimer, Anna Kounikova, Annabel Croft, Anne Jones, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Arnaud DiPasquale, Art Larsen, Arthur Ashe, Arthur Gore, Ashley Cooper, Barry Lorge, Barry MacKay, Belus Prajoux, Benjamin Becker, Betty Nuthall, Betty Stove, Bill Dwyre, Bill Johnston, Bill Larned, Bill Scanlon, Bill Talbert, Bill Tilden, Billie Jean King, Bitsy Grant, Bjorn Borg, Bob Bryan, Bob Falkenburg, Bob Hewitt, Bob Kelleher, Bobby Reynolds, Bobby Riggs, Boris Becker, Brad Gilbert, Brian Gottfried, Brian Teacher, Brooke Shields, Bryan Shelton, Bryanne Stewart, Bud Collins, Budge Patty, Butch Buchholz, Camille Pin, Carl-Uwe Steeb, Carlos Moya, Casey Dellacqua, Cecil Mamiit, Cedric Pioline, Chanda Rubin, Charlie Bricker, Charlie Pasarell, Chis Evert, Chris Lewis, Chris Woodruff, Christian Bergstrom, Christopher Clarey, Chuck McKinley, Cliff Drysdale, Cliff Richey, Colin Dibley, Conchita Martinez, Corina Morariu, Dan Maskell, Daniel NEstor, Daniela Hantuchova, Darlene Hard, David Caldwell, David Nalbandian, Dennis Ralson, Derrick Rostagno, Dick Savitt, Dick Stockton, Dinara Safina, Dmitry Tursunov, Dodo Cheney, Dominik Hrbaty, Don Budge, Don McNeill, Donald Dell, Donald Young, Doris Hart, Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers, Dwight Davis, Elena Dementieva, Elisabeth Moore, Elizbeth Ryan, Ellsworth Vines, Emily Sanchez, Erik van Dillen, Evonne Goolagong, Fabrice Santoro, Felix Mantilla, Fernando Gonzalez, Francisco Clavet, Francoise Durr, Frank Hunter, Frank Parker, Frank Sedgman, Frank Shields, Fred Perry, Fred Stolle, Fred Tupper, Frew McMillian, Gabriela Sabatini, Gael Monfils, Gardnar Mulloy, Gene Mako, Gene Mayer, Gene Scott, George Lott, Georges Goven, Gerald Patterson, Gerry Armstrong, Gisela Dulko, Gladys Heldman, Goran Ivanisevic, Greg Rusedski, Guillermo Canas, Guillermo Coria, Guillermo Vilas, Gustavo Kuerten, Guy Forget, Hana Mandlikova, Harry Hopman, Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman, Helen Jacobs, Helen Sukova, Helen Wills Moody, Henri Cochet, Henry “Bunny“ Austin, Hicham Arazi, Holcombe Ward, Horst Skoff, Hugo Chapacu, Ilie Nastase, Ion Tiriac, Iva Majoil, Ivan Lendl, Ivan Ljubicic, Ivo Karlovic, Jacco Eltingh, Jack Crawford, Jack Kramer, Jacques Brugnon, Jaime Fillol, Jaime Yzaga, Jakob Hlasek, James Blake, James Dwight, James Reilly, Jan Kodes, Jan-Michael Gambill, Jana Novotna, Janko Tipsarevic, Jaroslav Drobny, Jay Berger, Jean Borotra, Jeff Tarango, Jelena Dokic, Jelena Jankovic, Jennifer Capriati, Jie Zheng, Jill Craybas, Jim Courier, Jim Leohr, Jim Pugh, Jimmy Arias, Jimmy Connors, Jimmy Van Alen, Jiri Novak, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Joachim Johansson, Joe Hunt, Johan Kriek, John Bromwich, John Doeg, John Feinstein, John Isner, John McEnroe, John Newcombe, John Van Ryn, Jonas Bjorkman, Jonathan Stark, Jose Higueras, Jose-Luis Clerc, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Juan Gisbert, Julien Boutter, Juliette Atkinson, Justine Henin, Karel Kozeluh, Karin Knapp, Kark Behr, Karol Kucera, Karolina Sprem, Kei Nishikori, Ken McGregor, Ken Rosewall, Kenneth Carlsen, Kevin Curren, Kim Clijsters, Kimiko Date, Kitty Godfree, Klara Koukalova, Kristian Pless, Larry Stefanki, Laura Granville, Laurence Doherty, Leander Paes, Lesley Turner, Leslie Allen, Lew Hoad, Linda Siegel, Lindsay Davenport, Lisa Dillman, Lisa Raymond, Lleyton Hewitt, Lori McNeil, Lottie Dod, Louise Brough, Luke Jensen, Maggie Maleeva, Magnus Norman, Mahesh Bhupathi, Mal Anderson, Mal Whitman, Manuel Santana, Marat Safin, Marc Rosset, Marcos Baghdatis, Mardy Fish, Margaret Court, Margaret duPont, Maria Bueno, Maria Sharapova, Mark Cox, Mark Edmondson, Mark McCormack, Mark Philippousssis, Mark Woodforde, Martin Mulligan, Martin Verkerk, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova, Marty Riessen, Mary Carillo, Mary Joe Fernandez, Mary Pierce, Mats Wilander, Maureen Connolly, Maurice McLoughlin, Mervyn Rose, Michael Chang, Michael Stich, Mikael Pernfors, Mike Bryan, Mike Leach, Mikhail Youzhny, Milan Srejber, Miloslav Mecir, Molla Mallory, Monica Seles, Murphy Jensen, Nadia Petrova, Nancy Richey, Nduka Odizor, Neale Fraser, Neil Amdur, Nicola Pietrangeli, Nicolas Kiefer, Nicolas Massu, Nicole Pratt, Norman Brookes, Novak Djokovic, Owen Davidson, Pablo Cuevas, Pam Shriver, Pancho Gonzalez, Pancho Segura, Pat Cash, Patrick McEnroe, Patrick Rafter, Paul Annacone, Paul Goldstein, Paul McNamee, Pauline Betz, Perry Jones, Pete Sampras, Peter McNamara, Petr Korda, Petr Kuczak, Phil Dent, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Philippe Chatrier, Radek Stepanek, Rafael Nadal, Rafael Osuna, Ramesh Krishnan, Ray Moore, Ray Ruffels, Reggie Doherty, Rene Lacoste, Renee Richards, Rennae Stubbs, Ricardo Cano, Richard Gasquet, Richard Krajicek, Richard Sears, Richards, Richey Reneberg, Rick Leach, Robbie Weiss, Robert Wrenn, Robin Finn, Rod Laver, Roger Federer, Roger Smith, Roland Garros, Ros Fairbank, Roscoe Tanner, Rosie Casals, Roy Emerson, Ryan Harrison, Sania Mirza, Scott Davis, Sean Sorensen, Sebastien Grosjean, Serena Williams, Shirley Fry, Sidney Wood, Simone Mathieu, Slew Hester, Slobodan Zivojinovic, Slyvia Hanika, Stan Smith, Stefan Edberg, Stefan Koubek, Stefano Pescosolido, Steffi Graf, Sue Barker, Suzanne Lenglen, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Tamara Pasek, Taylor Dent, Ted Schroeder, Thierry Tulasne, Thomas Johansson, Thomas Muster, Tim Gullikson, Tim Henman, Tim Mayotte, Todd Martin, Todd Woodbridge, Tom Gullikson, Tom Okker, Tomas Smid, Tony Roche, Tony Trabert, Tony Wilding, Torben Ulrich, Tracy Austin, Venus Williams, Vic Seixas, Victor Pecci, Vijay Amritraj, Vinnie Richards, Virginia Wade, Vitas Gerulaitis, Wally Masur, Watson Washburn, Wendy Turnbull, Whitney Reed, Wilhelm Bungert, Wilmer Allison, Wojtek Fibak, Xavier Malisse, Yannick Noah, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Younes El Aynaoui, Zina Garrison, Zina Garrson

Victory for Venus at year-end championships

November 10, 2008 by Ricky Dimon

Venus Williams ended her 2008 campaign in perfect fashion, capping off a flawless week at Doha, Qatar’s Sony Ericsson Championships with a 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-1 victory over Vera Zvonareva on Sunday. Both Williams and Zvonareva went undefeated in round-robin play and Williams continued her run with a three-set win over Jelena Jankovic in the semifinals. Zvonareva outlasted fellow Russian Elena Dementieva in three sets in her semifinal.
The title match also had three sets written all over it dating back to the end of the first frame of play. Zvonareva stormed out to a 5-2 lead (and even held three set points serving at 5-3, 40-0), but Williams erased the deficit to get back on level terms at 5-5. Known for her mental fragility, Zvonareva somehow managed to overcome that minor meltdown to take the ensuing tiebreaker seven points to five.
She could not, however, recover from an absolutely disastrous second set. Williams ran her opponent ragged en route to a 6-0 drubbing that evened the clash at one set apiece. The American never looked back and eased through the third 6-2. She left her Zvonareva in tears on several occasions throughout the final set.
“I’m so excited,” Williams said. “That was a hard-fought match, every point, right down to the end.”
The two lowest-ranked players heading into the event, Williams and Zvonareva will each climb two places in the rankings. Williams will finish the season at No. 6 and Zvonareva will end up at No. 7 in the world. “I know I can go higher in the rankings,” added Williams, and who’s to say she can’t after her awesome conclusion to the year?
Williams had qualified for the year-end WTA Championships on seven previous occasions, but had never captured the title.
Said Williams: “It was missing, this one.”

Filed Under: Archives Tagged With: Ana Ivanovic, Dinara Safina, Doha, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, Sony Ericsson Championships, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva

Venus sets up all-undefeated title match

November 9, 2008 by Ricky Dimon

Venus Williams survived Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 in the semifinals of the year-end Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar on Saturday. Williams, who went undefeated in group play, will meet Vera Zvonareva in Sunday’s final. Zvonareva is also without a loss this week.
Williams dismantled sister Serena on Thursday and she used that momentum to get off to blistering start against Jankovic. The American took set one with ease, but she seemed to go away from her game-plan as Jankovic started to dictate play in the second.
A decisive third set was closer than the score indicated. Williams went up an early break but had to save five break points in order to consolidate it for a 4-2 lead. She held serve the rest of the way to secure the victory.
“My game is about being aggressive and taking chances,” Williams said, and that’s exactly what she did in sets one and three.
Despite the loss, Jankovic  will hold onto her No. 1 ranking and finish the year in the top spot. “I can go to vacation with a smile on my face,” said the Serb. “It will be really weird not to have my rackets with me.”
Williams and Jankovic were preceded by an all-Russian affair between Zvonareva and Elena Dementieva. Zvonareva emerged victorious over the Gold medal winner 7-6(7), 3-6, 6-3. An emotional first-set tiebreaker saw Zvonareva blow a 5-1 lead before saving a set point en route to a 9-7 win.
Zvonareva is producing her best tennis at just the right time before the conclusion of 2009. A baseline slugfest, not unlike the two semifinal showdowns, will be in store again on Sunday. Williams has won the last five encounters with Zvonareva and that should give her a slight edge.

Filed Under: Archives, Lead Story Tagged With: Ana Ivanovic, Dinara Safina, Doha, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, Sony Ericsson Championships, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva

Serena out of WTA Championships

November 7, 2008 by Ricky Dimon

Still alive for a berth in the semifinals of the Sony Ericsson Championships despite her crushing loss to sister Venus, Serena Williams pulled out of the season-ending event in Doha, Qatar with a stomach injury on Friday. Serena would have played Elena Dementieva for the final semifinal spot out of the maroon group. Both women were 1-1 in group play.
While it comes as a bit of shock since Serena still had realistic title hopes, it is not too surprising based on what she said after the 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 setback to her big sister. “This was definitely the worst match I’ve played this year by far,” Serena lamented. “I didn’t even look like a top eight player. Maybe top 600 in the juniors perhaps. I just couldn’t keep a ball in play. I couldn’t keep more than two balls over the net. I couldn’t serve. I couldn’t hit a backhand. I couldn’t hit a forehand. I couldn’t even volley.
“I don’t think I’ve ever played like that. I mean, I’ve never been in a situation where I just feel like I can’t do anything. Just everything was off and it was very frustrating out there. It was just terrible, terrible, terrible tennis.”
Serena refused to subject herself to more terrible tennis on Friday and instead withdrew, allowing replacement Nadia Petrova to play against Dementieva, who clinched the last semifinal position when Serena called it quits. Petrova made the most of her surprise appearance, but she ultimately fell to her Russian compatriot 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Agniezska Radwanksa also seized a replacement spot when Ana Ivanovic withdrew before her match against Svetlana Kuznetsova, citing a virus. “It’s obviously very hard for me,” said the Serb. “Yesterday I didn’t feel good and today, even worse.” Unlike Serena, Ivanovic had already been eliminated from semifinal contention with an 0-2 record. Kuznetsova also had an 0-2 mark in white group play, rendering the match mostly meaningless. Radwanska, however, took advantage of her opportunity and scored a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Kuznetsova.
Vera Zvonareva, 3-0 in the white group, and Jelena Jankovic (2-1) had already assured themselves of semifinal appearances. In Saturdays semifinals, Zvonareva will play Dementieva, the maroon No. 2 seed, and Jankovic will take on Venus, maroon No. 1.
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Filed Under: Archives, Lead Story Tagged With: Ana Ivanovic, Dinara Safina, Doha, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, Sony Ericsson Championships, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva

Venus beats Serena to stay perfect in Doha

November 6, 2008 by Ricky Dimon

Venus Williams defeated little sister Serena 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 on Thursday night in the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar. The victory ensures Venus, a perfect 3-0 in pool play, the No. 1 seed out of the maroon group heading into the semifinals. Venus beat Dinara Safina in straight sets and Elena Dementieva in three earlier in the tournament.
The Williams sisters, who won Olympic gold in doubles this summer, waged a spirited battle throughout the first set. Serena secured the decisive break of serve at 6-5 to take the opening frame of play. From then on, however, it was all Venus. She dominated play from all over the court as Serena’s game-especially mentally-fell apart.
Serena’s loss leaves her at 1-1 in group play; she took out Safina in two sets earlier in the week. A win over Dementieva on Friday will be necessary in order for Serena to secure the No. 2 seed behind Venus out of the maroon group.
In the white group, meanwhile, Vera Zvonareva and Jelena Jankovic have already secured semifinal berths. They are both 2-0, whereas Svetlana Kuznetsova and Ana Ivanovic are both winless at 0-2. Kuznetsova has not won a set in two matches, although she was extremely competitive in a 7-6(6), 6-4 setback at the hands of Jankovic on Thursday afternoon. Ivanovic seemed to have emerged from a brutal slump with a recent title, but that proved not to be the case this week. The Serb, so far, has lost to countrywoman Jankovic in straight sets and Zvonareva in three.
Friday’s showdown between Jankovic and Zvonareva will only determine seeding. The winner will be No. 1 out of the white group and will play either Serena or Dementieva. The loser will be No. 2 and faced with a daunting clash with in-form Venus.

Filed Under: Archives, Lead Story Tagged With: Ana Ivanovic, Dinara Safina, Doha, Elena Dementieva, Jelena Jankovic, Serena Williams, Sony Ericsson Championships, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva

Mondays With Bob Greene: Naturally We Are Annoyed

October 27, 2008 by Bob Greene

STARS
Roger Federer won the Davidoff Swiss Indoors, beating David Nalbandian 6-3 6-4 in Basel, Switzerland
Andy Murray beat Andrey Golubev 6-1 6-1 to win the St. Petersburg Open in St. Petersburg, Russia
Robin Soderling won the Grand Prix de Tennis De Lyon by beating Julien Benneteau 6-3 6-7 (5) 6-1 in Lyon, France
Ana Ivanovic beat Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-1 to win the Generali Ladies Linz in Linz, Austria
Elena Dementieva stopped Carolina Wozniacki 2-6 6-4 7-6 (4) to win the FORTIS Championships in Luxembourg
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Julie Coin 6-4 6-3 to win the Internationaux Feminins de la Vienne in Poitiers, France
Hyung-Taik Lee won the Samsung Securities Cup Challenger in Seoul, Korea, by beating Ivo Minar 6-4 6-0
Jim Courier beat Thomas Enqvist 3-6 6-4 10-8 (Champions tiebreak) to win the Stanford Championships in Dallas, Texas
SAYINGS
“There was a bit of disappointment but I gave a good fight for almost five years, so I’m proud of that, and I think Rafa deserves it this year because he’s played consistently well.” – Roger Federer, admitting he’s disappointed about not finishing the year as the number one player.
“This season has been hard, long and punishing. I will be very happy when I lose in Bercy.” – Richard Gasquet, after losing in Lyon, France, and talking about this week’s tournament in Paris.
“To see him give up mentally beforehand is quite simply abnormal. It is disrespectful vis-à-vis the public who he is counting on supporting him at Bercy. Naturally we are annoyed.” – Patrice Dominguez, national technical director of the French Tennis Federation, referring to Gasquet’s comment.
“This year has been a very positive year for me and I am looking forward to continued success in Doha.” – Venus Williams, after qualifying for the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha.
“It has been awhile since I last played and it feels wonderful to be one of the best eight players of the regular Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season.” – Vera Zvonareva, who qualified for the Sony Ericsson Championships.
“You could never forecast that he was going to miss that shot. If he lets it bounce, he could hit it with the butt cap and make it and I wouldn’t be there. That was as improbable as it gets, but that’s why we play sports. The whacky happens.” – Jim Courier, after Thomas Enqvist shanked an easy overhead on match point.
“I think I was just too casual. It’s what you tell an amateur when you play the pro-ams with them, that sometimes they do those mistakes. They take their eye off the ball. I think I did that.” – Thomas Enqvist.
“For the first set and a half we were completely outplayed. At 4-3 down in the second set Bopanna double-faulted at 40-40, and after that the momentum shifted our way.” – Travis Parrott, after teaming with Filip Polasek to win the doubles at St. Petersburg, Russia.
“I’m really disappointed with how I played today. I had no concentration at any stage of the match. Maybe today I finally paid for all of the traveling and the many matches I’ve played over the last several weeks.” – Vera Zvonareva, after losing to Ana Ivanovic in the title match of the Generali Ladies Linz.
“Rafael Nadal has donated the racquet he used to win the 2008 Wimbledon final, Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi both donated tennis racquets, while Roger Federer gave us the shirt off his own back.” – Lleyton Hewitt, on items donated to help raise money for a charity, Cure Our Kids.
SET FOR DOHA
The final two spots in the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships have been clinched by Vera Zvonareva and Venus Williams. The women’s tour will wind up with world’s top eight singles players and top four doubles teams in Doha, Qatar, November 4-9. It will be the third time Venus Williams will compete in the season-ending event, but her first since 2002. Others in the field include Jelena Jankovic, Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams, Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
SIGN OF RESPECT
The new tennis center in Brisbane, Australia, has been named for two-time US Open champion Pat Rafter. The 5,500-seat Rafter Arena will open in January for the Brisbane International men’s and women’s hard court championships. The tournament is a warm-up for the Australian Open, which is held in Melbourne. Novak Djokovic, Marcos Baghdatis and Ana Ivanovic are confirmed for the event, the first international tennis tournament to be played in Brisbane since 1994.
SWEDE VICTORY
When Robin Soderling captured his second Lyon trophy, he became the first Swedish player to win an ATP title in almost three years. The last Swede to capture a tournament on the men’s tour was Thomas Johansson at St. Petersburg, Russia, in 2005. The victory over Frenchman Julien Benneteau will move Soderling into the top 20 of the South African Airways ATP Rankings for the first time. At Lyon, Soderling beat two top-ten players, Andy Roddick and Gilles Simon.
SWISS STAR
Roger Federer won his third straight Davidoff Swiss Indoors crown in his native Basel, Switzerland. He also has been runner-up twice in his nine appearances in Basel. And his 57th career title moves Federer into a tie with Ilie Nastase on the ATP list. He is now three titles behind Andre Agassi. Basel was Federer’s fourth title of 2008, highlighted by his fifth consecutive US Open win. This one came over David Nalbandian, the 2002 Swiss Indoors winner and the tournament’s number two seed. It was the first time since 1993 that the two top seeds have reached the final at Basel.
SHORT DAY
Andy Murray needed only 56 minutes to successfully defend his St. Petersburg Open title by defeating qualifier Andrey Golubev 6-1 6-1. It was the shortest final on the ATP tour this year, and the second fewest games in a title match since Mikhail Youzhny crushed Rafael Nadal 6-0 6-1 at the Chennai Open in January. Now ranked fourth in the world, Murray becomes the first British player to win consecutive titles since Mark Cox did it in March 1975. The Scott has won five titles this year, second only to the eight captured by Nadal. Murray is on a 12-match winning streak and has won 18 of his last 19 matches since losing in the first round of the Beijing Olympics to Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun.
SHORT STAY
For the second straight year, Nikolay Davydenko made a brief appearance at the St. Petersburg Open. This time he injured his left wrist during a first-round victory over Chris Guccione, and then pulled out of the tournament. “I was able to finish the match, but today I felt a lot of pain and I just can’t play,” Davydenko said. Last year, the Russian was fined USD $2,000 by the ATP for not trying hard enough during his loss to qualifier Marin Cilic in a second-round match. The fine was overturned on appeal. Davydenko’s victory over Guccione was his 50th match win of the season, the fourth straight year he has won at least 50 matches.
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STAYING ON TOP
Despite what happens the rest of the way, Jelena Jankovic will end the season as the number one player in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour rankings. Jankovic has a commanding points lead over Dinara Safina and will remain in the top spot regardless of the outcome of the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha. She secured the year-ending ranking by winning 12 straight matches en route to three consecutive titles in Beijing, Stuttgart and Moscow. She lost in the US Open final and reached the semifinals of two other Grand Slam tournaments.
SITTER MISSED
Holding match point at 9-8 in the Champions tiebreaker, Jim Courier sent a high defensive lob that just made it over the net in the final of the Stanford Championships in Dallas, Texas. But Thomas Enqvist, standing right on top of the net, elected not to let the ball bounce and shanked the overhead straight down off the frame of his racquet, giving Courier his sixth career Outback Champions Series title, 3-6 6-4 10-8 (Championships tiebreak). “I think I was too casual,” Enqvist said, while Courier said the missed overhead was “one of the nuttiest match points I’ve ever been a part of.”
SEASIDE TENNIS
Four top players will lead a five-day tennis “fantasy camp” on Maui, Hawaii, in November. Lindsay Davenport, Tom Gullikson, Robby Ginepri and Corina Morariu will participate in the four days of instruction and free play. Gullikson is the former US Davis Cup captain and Olympic coach, while Davenport was ranked number one in the world in both singles and doubles. She is one of only four women – joining Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert – to have been the year-ending number one at least four times. Ginepri is one of the top five American players currently on the ATP tour, while Morariu was ranked number one in the world in doubles before being diagnosed with leukemia. She made a complete recovery and was named Comeback Player of the Year on the WTA Tour. The “fantasy camp” is for adult tennis players ranging in skill from recreational to tournament-level.
STRIKING PAIR
Hall of Famer Michael Chang and women’s tennis pro Amber Liu are now husband and wife. Matthew Cronin reports the pair was married at Lake Hills Community Church in Laguna Hills, California, with the reception and dinner taking place at the St. Regis Hotel in Dana Point, California. Among those in attendance were Chang’s brother and coach, Carl; his cousin James Wan, who plays for Stanford University; John Austin, Anne Yelsey, Dick Gould, Lele Forood, Eliot Teltscher and Peanut Louis.
STRONG SALES
The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships will have some people in the seats, if ticket sales are any indication. According to tournament officials, more than 95 percent of the premium seats have been sold for the season-ending event that features the world’s top eight women’s singles players and top four doubles teams. The Championships will be held November 4-9 at the Khalifa International Tennis Complex in Doha, Qatar.
STANDING TALL
Lleyton Hewitt and his wife Bec have begun a month-long fundraising auction with proceeds going to Cure Our Kids, an organization which supports children with cancer and their families at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in New South Wales, Australia. The auction includes items donated by the Hewitts as well as from Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Ana Ivanovic, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graff, among others.
SAD NEWS
A former top-100 player from Italy, Federico Luzzi, is dead at the age of 28. Luzzi died at a hospital in Arezzo, Italy, of leukemia. He was hospitalized after retiring a few days earlier from an Italian league match, citing a high fever. He reached a career-high ranking of number 92 in 2002 before a shoulder injury plagued him the rest of his career. In February, Luzzi was suspended for 200 days and fined USD $50,000 by the ATP for betting on tennis. In 2001, he beat Ville Liukko of Finland 14-12 in the fifth set to complete a 4-hour, 35-minute victory, the longest Davis Cup match ever played by an Italian.
SO LONG
Bill Rusick, an All-American college player and later tennis coach and co-owner of a tennis club, has died at the age of 51. Rusick led Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville to two national championships and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame. He coached at McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois, and served as club pro and co-owner at St. Clair Tennis Club. He suffered from pancreatic cancer.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Basel: Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles beat Christopher Kas and Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-3
St. Petersburg: Travis Parrott and Filip Polasek beat Rohan Bopanna and Max Mirnyi 3-6 7-6 (4) 10-8 (match tiebreak)
Lyon: Michael Llodra and Andy Ram beat Stephen Huss and Ross Hutchins 6-3 5-7 10-8 (match tiebreak)
Seoul: Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach beat Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana 7-5 4-6 10-6 (match tiebreak)
Linz: Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama beat Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-4 7-5
Luxembourg: Sorana Cirstea and Marina Erakovic beat Vera Dushevina and Mariya Koryttseva 2-6 6-3 10-8 (match tiebreak)
Poitiers: Petra Cetkovska and Lucie Safarova beat Akgul Amanmuradova and Monica Niculescu 6-4 6-4
SITES TO SURF
Paris: www.fft.fr/bnpparibasmasters//
Quebec: www.challengebell.com
Bratislava: www.stz.sk
Busan: www.busanopen.org/
Cali: www.tennisegurobolivar.com/
Doha: www.Sonyericsson-championships.com
Sunrise: http://www.championsseriestennis.com/arizona2008/
TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK
(All money in USD)
ATP
$2,450,000 BNP Paribas Masters, Paris, France, carpet
$125,000 Seguros Bolivar Open, Cali, Colombia, clay
$100,000 Busan Open Challenger, Busan, South Korea, hard
WTA TOUR
$175,000 Bell Challenge, Quebec City, Quebec, hard
$100,000 Ritro Slovak Open, Bratislava, Slovak Republic, hard
TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK
WTA TOUR
$4,450,000 Sony Ericsson Championships, Doha, Qatar, hard
$100,000 ITF women’s event, Krakow, Poland, hard
ATP
$106,500 Tatra Banka Open, Bratislava, Slovakia, hard
SENIORS
Cancer Treatment Centers of America Championships at Surprise, Surprise, Arizona

Filed Under: Lead Story, Mondays with Bob Greene Tagged With: Amber Liu, Ana Ivanovic, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Andre Agassi, Andrey Golubev, Andy Murray, Bill Rusick, Carolina Wozniacki, Chris Evert, Corina Morariu, David Nalbandian, Davidoff Swiss Indoors, Dinara Safina, Elena Dementieva, Federico Luzzi, FORTIS Championships, Generali Ladies Linz, Grand Prix de Tennis De Lyon, Hyung-Taik Lee, Internationaux Feminins de la Vienne, Ivo Minar, Jim Courier, Julie Coin, Julien Benneteau, Lindsay Davenport, Lleyton Hewitt, Marcos Baghdatis, Martina Navratilova, Matthew Cronin, Michael Chang, Novak Djokovic, Olympics, Pat Rafter, Rafael Nadal, Rafter Arena, Robby Ginepri, Robin Soderling, Roger Federer, Samsung Securities Cup Challenger, Sony Ericsson Championships, St. Petersburg Open, Stanford Championships, Steffi Graf, Thomas Enqvist, Tom Gullikson, US Davis Cup, US Open, Venus Williams, Vera Zvonareva, Ville Liukko

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