STARS
Radek Stepanek beat Gael Monfils 6-4 6-4 to win the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, DC, USA
Agnieszka Radwanska beat Vera Zvonareva 6-3 6-4 to win the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad, California, USA
Robin Haase beat Albert Montanes 6-4 4-6 6-1 to win the Bet-at-Home Cup in Kitzbühel, Austria
Karol Beck beat Gregoire Burquier 6-4 7-6 (4) to win the Open Castilla y Leon in Segovia, Spain
Aleksandra Wozniak beat Jamie Hampton 6-3 6-1 to win the Odlum Brown Van Open women’s singles in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
James Ward beat Robby Ginepri 7-5 6-4 to win the Odlum Brown Van Open men’s singles in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
SAYING
“It’s my biggest win in my career so far and it’s coming in the later stage of my career, so it means so much to me that I’m capable even in this age to play such great tennis, beating the guys from the Top 10 and winning the title. It’s really an amazing feeling.” – Radek Stepanek, after beating Gael Monfils to win the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.
“It’s a bit difficult the recovery (after Saturday’s late finish), it’s pretty quick and fast, but still I think Radek played a tough match today. He was pretty aggressive and didn’t miss a lot of balls, so I think he played better than me today.” – Gael Monfils, after losing to Radek Stepanek in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic final.
“We are like wine. The older we are getting, the better we are … Until my body falls apart I’ll be trying to stay competitive in this level. It’s very difficult because all the guys are great at this; they’re moving very fast and, as we all know, the speed is leaving slowly, we cannot compete with Mother Nature.” – Radek Stepanek.
“Everything was working. Even though I had two really tough matches in the quarters and semifinals, I played very well today. I really wanted to win this tournament so I was really focused from the beginning. Winning a tournament with a lot of great matches against top players is very special.” – Agnieszka Radwanska, after winning in Carlsbad, California
“He’s very talented, but it’s a tough world out there. You have to keep on working. You have to stay with your feet on the ground and keep on working hard and fighting.” – Marcos Baghdatis, talking about Donald Young, who beat him in the quarterfinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic.
“It’s my attitude towards playing. I feel like I actually can do it. I’m going out there with the thought in mind before the match that I can do it, not with the hope of, ‘Oh, if I play well, maybe I can.’ That’s a big change.” – Donald Young, explaining why he reached his first ATP Tour semifinal.
“He had me quite flustered. I couldn’t get set into the way I wanted to play. It wasn’t that I was nervous, but more so he took me out of my game.” – Donald Young, after losing in the semifinals to Radek Stepanek.
“It was one of the goals this year to make it into a semifinal or final, and maybe win it. I was close a few times when I played good but actually lost to good players. To win this match and beat good players this week was really great.” – Robin Haase, after winning the title in Kitzbühel, Austria
“It’s a pity. But I knew that it was going to be difficult because he was playing very well during the whole week. I played well too.” – Albert Montanes, after losing to Robin Haase in the final at Kitzbühel, Austria
“Is it more embarrassing running off the court like a maniac or throwing up on court and being on Sports Center for the next 25 years? Yeah, running off the court is better, so that’s what I did.” – Andrea Petkovic, who did just that in her semifinal loss to Agnieszka Radwanska.
“Serena (Williams) has really improved her level from Wimbledon and six weeks from now, she’ll be more than 10 percent better. Everything is just better, her serve, her movement, and she has now beaten quality players such as Maria Sharapova and Sabine Lisicki, who did well at Wimbledon. I would pick Serena as the US Open favorite considering how many times she won there.” – Marion Bartoli.
“It was never a goal of mine to be the number one American, Andy (Roddick) has always been the number one of our tennis generation. That won’t change regardless of any ranking. But I’ll admit that holding the position will be a nice thing to tell my kids someday and I’m very happy with how I’m playing right now.” – Mardy Fish, on being the highest-ranked American player.
STEPANEK TRIUMPHANT
His victory in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic has put Radek Stepanek in rarified company. With his triumph over Gael Monfils, the 32-year-old Stepanek became the oldest player to win the ATP stop in Washington, DC, since Jimmy Connors in 1988. “I still believe in myself,” the Czech said. “That’s why the emotion was there, winning a big tournament at this stage of my career. It will give me a bit of confidence, a great boost for the rest of the summer.” It was Stepanek’s first ATP title in 2½ years and the fifth of his career. “It’s a great satisfaction for me,” he said. “It’s great to still be able to compete with the young guns.” The oldest player in the world’s top 100, Stepanek became the ATP’s oldest champion since Fabrice Santoro of France won Newport, Rhode Island, USA, in 2008. “I wanted to be in control of the match, be the boss on the court, the one who is deciding what’s going on,” Stepanek said. “I was trying to come to the net because that was my game plan, to be aggressive, put as many returns to the court as much as I can, and when I have the chance to attack. My game plan was working perfectly, and I was aggressive from the first point to the last one.”
SMOOTH SAILING
Agnieszka Radwanska made it look easy as she dominated top-seeded Vera Zvonareva to capture her first title in three years. Playing the Carlsbad, California, event all week with a heavily taped right shoulder because of a nerve problem, the Polish right-hander needed 79 minutes to beat Zvonareva for the first time and snap the loser’s nine-match winning streak. Radwanska hadn’t reached a final since this tournament a year ago when she fell to Svetlana Kuznetsova. Zvonareva was able to stave off one match point, but that was only delaying the inevitable.
STRONG PARTNERS
Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik can’t lose for winning. The pair extended their winning streak to 14 consecutive matches with an easy 6-0 6-2 win over Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears to capture the Mercury Insurance Open in Carlsbad, California. Peschke and Srebotnik won Eastbourne and Wimbledon and have been co-ranked number one in doubles in the world since July 4. Carlsbad is their first tournament – and first title – since their Wimbledon success. “We’re so happy we could follow our wins at Eastbourne and London with this title,” Peschke said. “It’s a great achievement. With each match we’re getting more confident.” The champions have won five titles this year in 14 events, running their match record to 42-9.
SIGHTED
Wayne Odesnik, who was banned after admitting he imported human growth hormone (HGH) into Australia, played in his first ATP World Tour match in 16 months. He gained a spot in the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, DC, when second-seeded Mardy Fish withdrew with a bruised right heel – and taking advantage of a bye didn’t play until the second round. Odesnik didn’t last long, falling to eventual champion Radek Stepanek 6-1 6-1 in a 57-minute second-round encounter. Odesnik was banned for two years in May 2010 after pleading guilty. His ban was backdated to December 2009, then the International Tennis Federation (ITF) cut Odesnik’s ban to one year after he cooperated with the group’s anti-doping program. In January 2011, Odesnik returned to low-level events. “In six months I have gone from nothing to 150th in the world. Keep working hard and it will come. I can’t lose sight of that,” Odesnik said. “I’m still young. In the long run, I think it’s going to help. I’m 25. I think there is a lot of tennis ahead of me.”
STOPPING AT THE TOP
Robin Haase of the Netherlands won his first career ATP title when he topped Spain’s Albert Montanes 6-4 4-6 6-1 at the Bet-at-Home Cup in Kitzbühel, Austria. In fact, it was the first time Haase has reached a final. The 53-ranked Haase became the first Dutch winner of an ATP tournament since Martin Verkerk won in Amersfoort, Netherlands, in 2004. Haase is the eighth player this season to become a first-time champion on the ATP tour. The winner missed most of the 2009 season after surgery on his right knee. It was the first time the 30-year-old Montanes reached the final in a tournament that was not played on clay.
STAYING HOME
A viral illness has caused Venus Williams to withdraw from the Rogers Cup. Saying she is “extremely disappointed” with being unable to play in Toronto, Canada, Williams said she wasn’t feeling well so went to see a doctor. She was diagnosed with a viral illness and told to rest. Lucky loser Lourdes Dominguez Lino got a spot in the draw.
The men’s portion of the Rogers Cup is being played in Montreal this week, and missing will be Andy Roddick. The American withdrew because the abdominal muscle he injured nearly a month ago is insufficiently healed for him to compete. Also skipping Montreal will be Sweden’s Robin Soderling, who is still troubled by a wrist; Austria’s Jurgen Melzer, who has a stomach muscle injury; Spain’s Guillermo Garcia Lopez, suffering from appendicitis; and Belgium’s Xavier Malisse, who withdrew because of personal issues.
SPANISH FIREPOWER
Rafael Nadal says he will play for Spain when it takes on France in the World Group Davis Cup semifinal. The international team competition will be held a week after the US Open completes its two-week run. Nadal skipped Spain’s last Davis Cup tie, when it beat the United States 3-1. The 25-year-old Nadal has only played one Davis Cup tie in nearly two years, winning both his singles matches when Spain dominated Belgium in March. Spanish Davis Cup captain Albert Costa said Nadal had sent him a three-word message – “I’ll be there” – concerning next month’s semifinal against France.
SEES OLYMPIC SENDOFF
Elena Baltacha believes the 2012 Olympic Games in London would be the perfect ending to her career. Britain’s top female player, Baltacha has suffered health and injury problems throughout her career. “I want to get to the Olympics and then maybe retire,” she said. “I’ve been playing tennis for such a long time now. I’m 28 this year, and sometimes I wake up and wonder how much more my body can take. If I’m struggling with injuries, then I’m not going to carry on.” She was diagnosed with a liver condition when she was 19, and in 2006 she underwent back surgery. While primarily a singles player, Baltacha said she would jump at the chance to partner Andy Murray in mixed doubles at the Games. “It would be unbelievable to play mixed doubles with Andy,” she sad. “It would be absolutely fantastic.” Baltacha played mixed doubles at Wimbledon with Ken Skupski and said, “I really enjoyed that. The one downside to plying doubles for me is that I always seem to get injured. That extra match for me means my back might stiffen up.”
SIGNS TO PLAY
Being sidelined with an abdominal muscle strain for most of the summer, Andy Roddick has asked for and received a wild card entry into a tournament the week before the US Open for the first time in his career. Roddick will compete at the Winston Salem Open, a new ATP event in North Carolina that ends on the Saturday before the year’s final Grand Slam tournament begins its two-week run in New York City. Roddick last saw action in Davis Cup against Spain right after Wimbledon. Others in the Winston Salem field include fellow Americans Mardy Fish, John Isner, Sam Querrey, Ryan Harrison and Donald Young, along with Jurgen Melzer of Austria, Bernard Tomic of Australia and Ernests Gulbis of Latvia.
SWISS MISS NO?
Martina Hingis is leaning heavily toward not teaming with fellow Swiss star Roger Federer to play mixed doubles at the 2012 Olympic Games. “There are talks,” Hingis said, “however there are too many ifs at this point.” In order to compete at the London Games, Hingis would need to return to the WTA tour and be ranked close to the top 50 in the world in singles and in the top 10 in doubles. Besides, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) will only accept mixed doubles teams from players who are already on site in London, having qualified in singles or doubles. Hingis retired from the WTA in 2007 after testing positive for cocaine use. She has played World TeamTennis, and last month scored a victory over Serena Williams. “I always said I wasn’t coming back and I did, and after TeamTennis I felt good,” Hingis said. “Then with Serena winning Stanford it makes you think, ‘I played good against her and she beat (Maria) Sharapova 3 and 1.’ But I don’t think I would last a whole match now. TeamTennis is only to five games. To play with Roger in best-of-three sets you’d have to be playing great.”
$$$ FOR MARIA
For the seventh straight year, Maria Sharapova is the world’s highest paid woman in professional sports, according to Forbes Magazine. The Russian’s earnings, mostly from endorsements, are estimated at USD $25 million for the last year, more than twice as much as the current women’s world number one, Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki. Racing driver Danica Patrick was third with USD $12 million, followed by tennis players Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams. Seven of the top nine female earners were tennis players, including China’s Li Na, who made USD $8 million last year. However, Li Na’s French Open victory is expected to make her the top earner this year. Since her win she has signed at least USD $43.35 million of sponsorship deals with companies like Mercedes-Benz, Rolex and Haagen Dazs. Terry Rhoads, former head of sports marketing at Nike, said that two years ago Li “could not buy a sponsor, but now she is the only person with a Nike deal who can wear patches from other sponsors on her clothes. As international brands try to chase the Chinese market, Li is in a seller’s market.”
SAYS ABOUT TIME
The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) has asked the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow the Fed Cup Asia/Oceania Group II to be held in Pakistan next year. Pakistan participated in Fed Cup this year for the first time in a decade. “We are taking inspiration from the Pakistan Football Federation,” Irshad Bhatti, PTF’s acting president, told a Pakistani newspaper. “FIFA approved Lahore as the venue for the World Cup qualifier against Bangladesh, so we also requested the ITF allow us to host the Fed Cup.” Because of the fear of violence against visiting athletes, Pakistan has had to play all of its Davis Cup and Fed Cup matches in other countries.
SAFINA SITS OUT THE YEAR
Former world number one Dinara Safina is taking off the rest of this year. The Russian, who has not played since early May, is still suffering from persistent back pain. The 25-year-old topped the WTA world rankings for 26 weeks in 2009 and currently stands 65th in the world. “I’m sorry to report that my back is still acting up and I will not be able to play until at least the end of the year,” Safina said on her official website, www.dinarasafina.com. After losing to Kim Clijsters 6-0 6-0 in the opening round of the Australian Open in January, Safina contemplated quitting the sport. She failed to win a Grand Slam title, losing in the finals of the French Open in 2008 and 2009, and the Australian Open in 2009. She and her brother, Marat Safin, are the only brother-sister to each become number one in the world.
SEEKS LAW FIRM
Fighting a 12-month suspension, Robert Kendrick has signed on one of Maine’s largest law firms, Preti Flaherty, to file an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). The 31-year-old Kendrick was suspended after he tested positive for the banned substance methylhexaneamine at the French Open. The player said he took a capsule called Zija XM3 in an attempt to combat the effects of jetlag, not realizing it contained the banned drug. The ITF said Kendrick failed to mention the Zija XM3 when he filled out a mandatory form given to all players who are drug tested. The form asks the players to mention any “medication or supplements, including vitamins or minerals, taken over the past seven days.”
SITE UNKNOWN
When Bojana Jovanovski arrived in Carlsbad looking for the Mercury Insurance Open tennis tournament, no one knew what she was talking about. The problem was the Serbian teenager flew from Washington, DC, to Dallas, Texas, on to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and finally to Carlsbad, New Mexico. The Mercury Insurance Open was played in Carlsbad, California, a difference of about 1,000 miles (1,600 km). After waiting unsuccessfully for tournament transport, Jovanovski called the tournament. Transport had been waiting at the California airport for the player to arrive. “Are you in Carlsbad in California or in New Mexico?” Jovanovski was asked. After spending the night in New Mexico, Jovanovski flew top the correct Carlsbad, arriving just 30 minutes before she was scheduled to take the court for her first-round match.
SALUTED
The ATP ACES for Charity program has awarded the Legg Mason Tennis Classic a USD $10,000 grand to further strengthen its support of the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF). The WTEF combines tennis and education in three main programs, including its flagship Arthur Ashe Children’s Program that serves 1,500 children annually. Other USD $10,000 grants were presented to brothers Bob and Mike Bryan and to Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi. Last month the ATP announced the 12 inaugural recipients of its ATP ACES for Charity grants program. Grants of USD $10,000 each are being awarded by the ATP on an annual basis to charitable causes nominated by ATP World Tour players and tournaments.
Qureshi donated his USD $10,000 grant to support the United Nations Development Program’s flood recovery activities in his native Pakistan. The doubles star made the donation on behalf of his own foundation and the ATP ACES for Charity program on a visit to Mazdoor Village in southern Pakistan. The village was completely destroyed by floods in 2010.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Carlsbad: Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik beat Raquel Kops-Jons and Abigail Spears 6-0 6-2
Kitzbühel: Daniele Bracciali and Santiago Gonzalez beat Franco Ferreiro and Andre Sa 7-6 (1) 4-6 11-9 (match tiebreak)
Segovia: Johan Brunstrom and Frederik Nielsen beat Nicolas Mahut and Lovro Zovko 6-2 3-6 10-6 (match tiebreak)
Vancouver (men): Treat Huey and Travis Parrott beat Jordan Kerr and David Martin 6-2 1-6 16-14 (match tiebreak)
Vancouver (women): Karolina Pliskova and Kristyna Pliskova beat Jamie Hampton and Noppawan Lertcheewakarn 5-7 6-2 10-2 (match tiebreak)
Washington: Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic beat Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau 6-7 (3) 7-6 (6) 10-7 (match tiebreak)
SURFING
San Marino: www.atpsanmarino.com
Montreal: www.rogerscup.com/men/english/home.php
Toronto: www.rogerscup.com/women/english/home.php
Cincinnati: www.cincytennis.com/
Cordenons: www.euro-sporting.it/challenger
TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK
(All money in USD)
MEN
$2,430,000 Rogers Cup, Montreal, Canada, hard
$122,323 San Mario CEPU Open, San Marino, clay
WOMEN
$2,050,000 Rogers Cup, Toronto, Canada, hard
TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK
MEN
$2,430,000 Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, hard
$122,323 Zucchetti Kos Tennis Cup, Cordenons, Italy, clay
WOMEN
$2,050,000 Western & Southern Open, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, hard