World Tennis Magazine

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DELPO EDGES BLAKE IN AUSSIE OPEN THRILLER

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Reigning U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro won a barn-burner five-setter with American James Blake, coming back from a service break down in the fifth set to advance into the third round with a 6-4, 6-7, 5-7, 6-3, 10-8 victory in four hours, 18 minutes.

Blake, the recently-turned 30-year-old who has dropped from No. 10 at the end of 2008 to his current ranking of No. 45, led 2-0 in the fifth set, but was not able to fend off the power and talent from the man who ended Roger Federer’s five-year U.S. Open reign last September.

“It was a great victory for my career. I have no words to explain this moment,” said an exhausted Del Potro to ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi following the win. “I am completely tired but I have a day of rest.”

Del Potro had the opportunity to serve for the match in the 12th game only to be denied by Blake before he finally took the advantage again in the 17th and sealed it with a massive serve that Blake was unable to return on the next game.

ESPN Analysts Darren Cahill and Mary Joe Fernandez praised the way Blake played in the match. Cahill said Blake played the best he has seen in four of five years and Fernandez praised him for his positive attitude throughout the match. Blake is in Australia with new coach Kelly Jones, the former No. 1 ranked doubles player. He parted with long-time coach Brian Barker last year.

Del Potro will next play Florian Mayer of Germany and could face a tough fourth-rounder against either Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland or potentially Marin Cilic of Croatia.

Henin granted Australian Open wild card: This Week in Tennis Business

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By Justin Cohen

Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal

From the Australian Open granting Justine Henin a wild card for the 2010 tournament to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal announcing they will compete in Abu Dhabi to Barcelona being named the host city for the Davis Cup finals between Spain and Czech Republic to Amelie Mauresmo hinting at retirement to James Blake dropping longtime coach Brian Barker to now work with Kelly Jones to Roger Federer being ranked the eighth most influential man in the world according to AskMen.com, these stories caught the attention of tennis fans and insiders this week.

  • According to Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley, Justine Henin has officially been granted a wild card in next year’s Australian Open.
  • For the second straight year, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will be headlining the field at the Capitala World Tennis Championships exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi to start the season. The three day exhibition event starts on December 31, 2009 and will also feature Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Nikolay Davydenko, Fernando Verdasco and Robin Soderling. “I am very much looking forward to coming back,” said Federer. “Last year’s tournament was absolutely superb.”
  • The Spanish Tennis Federation announced that Barcelona will host the upcoming Davis Cup final between Spain and Czech Republic. The tie will be played at Palau Sant Jordi, which previously hosted the 2000 Davis Cup final between Spain and Australia.
  • Amelie Mauresmo has hinted that she might be considering retiring from tennis. The former world No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion, has pulled out of her final two events of the 2009 season and said on her website that she is having trouble finding the desire to compete. “Since coming back from the U.S. Open, I have tried to practice but haven’t been able to find the desire to return to competition,” said Mauresmo. “I don’t want to rush or force things. I’m letting myself have some time to reflect before taking a decision about the rest of my career.”
  • James Blake has stopped working with longtime coach Brian Barker and is now being coached by former world No. 1 doubles player Kelly Jones.
  • An AskMen.com poll on the world’s most influential men of 2009 listed Roger Federer at No. 8 and Andy Roddick at No. 35.
  • According to the Daily Telegraph, Andy Murray is the eighth highest-earning British athlete with an annual income of $7 million (UK).
  • Basler Zeitung reports that Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who lives in Switzerland for tax purposes, will have to play the tournament in Valencia instead of in Basel because his tax agreement with local Swiss authorities would become invalid if he played the tournament in Switzerland and earned prize money.
  • Justine Henin’s coach Carlos Rodriguez told Belga, a Belgian newswire, that her first tournament back on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour will “probably” be in Brisbane.
  • Mario Ancic told Croatian press that he will soon be getting medical clearance to return to training. The former Top 10 player said he expects to return to competition in January but has not decided whether he will return at the Australian Open or at a smaller tournament.
  • Serena Williams, who regained the No. 1 ranking on Monday, will be a guest on, Jimmy Kimmel Live, on Friday, October 16. The show is taped at the El Capitan Entertainment Center on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.
  • From December 2 to 5, Mardy Fish, John Isner, The Bryan Brothers and Melanie Oudin will participate in exhibition events in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Nashville and Pelham, Alabama.
  • Anna Kournikova and Tommy Haas have been added to the list of participants for the Advanta WTT Smash Hits charity tennis event on December 8 at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. The event is hosted by Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King. Andy Roddick, Lindsay Davenport and top-ranked doubles player Liezel Huber will also take part in the event.
  • 16-year-old American tennis star Sloane Stephens has signed a multi-year representation deal with BEST. Stephens will play her first full year on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour in 2010.
  • According to the Melbourne Age, Tennis Australia lost about $7 million (AU) last year because of the economy.
  • The Tennis Channel promoted current Chief Financial Officer William Simon to Chief Operating Officer.
  • Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) will host its annual International Tennis Symposium and $25,000 Championships from February 12-17, 2010 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
  • Reports published by the L’Equipe indicate that Richard Gasquet’s case will be heard by The Court of Arbitration in November. The International Tennis Federation is appealing the reduced suspension given to Gasquet for testing positive for Cocaine in Miami.
  • According to press reports, Australian Mark Philippoussis is engaged to actress Jennifer Esposito. The couple is refusing to comment on the engagement besides him say, “Her name is Jennifer and we met in the Hamptons. I’m very excited.”
  • Mahesh Bhupathi and his wife of six and a half years have ended their marriage. “Shvetha and I have decided to go our separate ways, but continue to remain cordial,” Bhupathi said in a statement.
  • Peter Burwash, the President of Peter Burwash International, received the “2009 Faculty Emeritus Award” from the USTA at the recent USTA Tennis Teachers Conference. “It is an honor and privilege to be a part of the Tennis Teachers Conference and receive this award,” said Burwash.