By: Justin Cohen
- Andy Roddick has signed an endorsement deal with Aquiss, which is a concentrated sports drink. Roddick, who has been using the drink since the Australian Open, will get shares in the company as a part of the deal.
- Lagardere Unlimited, the Paris-based sports and media company, is currently in negotiations to buy Blue Entertainment Sports Television (BEST). Lagardere represents players such as Roddick, Justine Henin and Fernando Gonzalez, while BEST currently represents players such as Victoria Azarenka, Caroline Wozniacki, Melanie Oudin, John Isner, Sam Querrey and Bob and Mike Bryan. BEST also owns the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, which is held each summer in Washington, D.C.
- Novak Djokovic recently cut ties with coach Todd Martin on Monday, but will continue working with Marian Vajda. “I’m not working with Todd Martin anymore,” said Djokovic. “I’m full-time with Marian again and hopefully we can have a lot of success.”
Andy Roddick - World No. 1 Serena Williams has been awarded a wild card into the Italian Open in Rome. Williams, who has be sidelined with an injury since her title run at the Australian Open in January, originally didn’t sign up for the Italian Open, which starts on May 3.
- According to sources, Venus Williams has informed USTA officials that she will not participate in the United States’ upcoming Fed Cup semifinal match against Russia in Birmingham, Ala.
- Thirty-four-year-old Leon Smith, who coached Andy Murray during his teenager years, has been named Britain’s new Davis Cup Captain and the head of men’s tennis at the Lawn Tennis Association. “It’s a huge honor and an irresistible challenge for me,” said Smith. “I know the players, and I know that together we can get Britain back to winning ways in the Davis Cup.”
- France has picked to play on an indoor hard court against Spain in their Davis Cup quarterfinal tie in July. The tie will take place at the Grande Halle d’Auvergne in Clermont-Ferrand.
- Canada’s Carling Bassett-Seguso, a former US Open semifinalist in 1984, recently gave birth to daughter, Lennon Shy. Bassett and husband Robert Seguso, a former ATP doubles player, also have three other children together.
- Indian press reports that Sania Mirza married Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on Monday, three days earlier than expected.
- Bob and Mike Bryan won their 59th doubles title together over the weekend in Houston. The title now puts them just two titles away from tying Mark Woodforde and Tood Woodbridge’s record of 61 ATP doubles titles.
- At an exhibition match in Atlantic City, Pete Sampras and Marat Safin both insisted that Andy Roddick has what it takes to win another Grand Slam singles title. Roddick’s lone Grand Slam singles title was at the 2003 US Open.
- Thirty-five-year-old Mary Pierce told L’Equipe that she is healthy enough to play competitive tennis again, but a comeback on the WTA Tour is doubtful. “What I miss is playing on center court in front of a lot of people, experiencing something with the public,” said Pierce. “It’s the only thing that could motivate me.” Pierce mentioned that she would enjoy playing an exhibition match at Roland Garros to say goodbye to her fans.
- According to Juan Martin del Potro’s physiotherapist Diego Rivas, the swelling on del Potro’s wrist has not yet subsided and his return to the ATP World Tour is uncertain.
- The Swiss website A-Z.ch reports that Martina Hingis has broken off her engagement to lawyer Andreas Bieri.
- Helen Zimman, the co-founder of H.O. Zimman Publishing, which has produced the US Open program for more than 50 years, passed away at the age of 91.
- Frenchman Gilles Simon says he is most likely going to miss the French Open because of his knee injury that he has suffered from for the last year. The 25-year-old has lost in the opening round of his last four tournaments.
- The Amanda and Stacy Darling Tennis Center in Las Vegas, former site of the ATP World Tour Tennis Channel Open, has been named a USTA Certified Regional Training Center.
- Emmy-Award winning Tennis Broadcaster and former French Open Mixed Doubles Champion Mary Carillo has been named the President for USTA Serves, which is a Foundation for Academics.