World Tennis Magazine

Unique Tennis Perspectives

Bryan Brothers

Jack Sock On The Brink Of No. 3 ATP Doubles Ranking Behind Bryan Brothers

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by Andrew Eichenholz

The duo of Jack Sock and Nick Kyrgios playing together in Rome may seem like many different things: fresh faces, big forehands, energy galore. But, if they should continue their strong performance at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, something peculiar will come out of it.

Sock, who did not play the Australian Open this year due to injury, can take over the No. 3 spot in the ATP World Tour doubles rankings, right behind Bob and Mike Bryan.

What? Yes, one of the up-and-coming talents on the singles circuit has carved himself a niche in the doubles world. As much as he may not have the hands at net that the Bryans, Daniel Nestor or Leander Paes have, he does possess one thing that few other in the world do, period: the Jack Sock forehand.

Not far behind Rafael Nadal in terms of spin, there are very few players in the world who have a more dangerous shot in their arsenal as Sock does with his forehand. Throw that onto the doubles court with a more than respectable serve, and it is not a fun day at the office for those on the other side of the net.

It all started at Wimbledon last year, when Sock partnered Canadian Vasek Pospisil for the very first time. Saying the two clicked early on is an understatement.

They won Wimbledon. After beating the Bryan brothers in a five-set final, Sock summed up their success in a press conference.

“We had a lot of fun.  People could see that.  I think that’s part of why we did well,” Sock said. “We really enjoyed being out there, enjoyed the moment. “

Sock having fun has been more than evident this year. As his brother Eric struggled with illness early on in the season, Jack has looked looser on the court, admitting that there is more to life than just results on the tennis court.

“Since he’s been out of the hospital I have written, For you, Eric, on my shoes,” Sock said in a press conference after his opening round match at Indian Wells, in March. “It’s just a good reminder out there that obviously this is, you know, my career and my living and everything, but kind of puts in a different perspective and you’re kind of playing for more.”

Sock only has played three tournaments with Pospisil since his return to the tour from injury, and the results have shown the effects of his more relaxed attitude. The pair won Indian Wells before falling short in the finals in Miami, where they lost to the Bryans. Pospisil turned his ankle last week in their doubles match in Madrid, creating the new Sock-Kyrgios tandem, at least for this tournament, in Rome.

While Sock may not be focused on the doubles court, it cannot hurt. His overall level of play has transferred to the singles court as well.

Sock is 11-4 so far this season in that department, with Roger Federer and two top-20 Frenchman also taking the American down.

Again, it may not mean the world, but if Sock should go on to win the Rome title with Kyrgios and earn the three next to his name in the doubles rankings, one can only think that it will give him more confidence to continue moving his way up the rungs of the sport.

 

 

 

Jack Sock
Jack Sock

Justin Bieber, Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart Talk Tennis at Desert Smash

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Television personality and host of “World Tennis Television” Harry Cicma was in attendance at the 11th Annual Desert Smash tennis event hosted by Will Ferrell at California’s La Quinta Resort. The event, which is the brainchild of longtime tennis industry friend Ryan Macauley, benefitted Cancer for College, a charity that provides scholarships for students who have battled with the disease.

Here are Cicma’s interviews with some of the stars of the event.

 

Justin Bieber & Harry Cicma: http://youtu.be/bvqsAKUfJzA

Kevin Hart & Harry Cicma: http://youtu.be/LPzIBjt2OWY

Will Ferrell & Harry Cicma: http://youtu.be/D6x6ItijAbA

Bryan Brothers & Harry Cicma:  http://youtu.be/7fw0MiOLKzc

Harry Cicma with Justin Bieber
Harry Cicma with Justin Bieber

Stan Wawrinka Beats Roger Federer In All-Swiss Final at Monte-Carlo: Mondays with Bob Greene

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Mondays with Bob Greene

 

STARS

Stanislas Wawrinka beat Roger Federer 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-2 to win the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Donna Vekic beat Dominika Cibulkova 5-7 7-5 7-6 (4) to win the BMW Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Nick Kyrgios beat Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (10) 6-4 to win the Sarasota Open in Sarasota, Florida, USA

 

FED CUP

World Group

(Semifinals)

Czech Republic beat Italy 4-0 at Ostrava, Czech Republic

Germany beat Australia 3-1 at Brisbane, Australia

 

World Group Playoffs

Russia beat Argentina 4-0 at Sochi, Russia

Canada beat Slovak Republic 3-1 at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

France beat United States 3-2 at St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Poland beat Spain 3-2 at Barcelona, Spain

 

World Group II Playoffs

Romania beat Serbia 4-1 at Bucharest, Romania

Netherlands beat Japan 3-2 at ’s-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands

Sweden beat Thailand 4-0 at Lidkoping, Sweden

Switzerland beat Brazil 4-1 at Catanduva, Brazil

 

SAYING

“I can see that when mentally I’m there and I’m fighting, I can play tennis, I can beat all the players. I did an amazing job.” – Stanislas Wawrinka, after beating Roger Federer in the final of the Monte-Carlo Masters.

“Of course, I’m very happy for Stan. It’s a huge win for him after winning his first Grand Slam this year, also to win his first Masters 1000. To take the opportunities when they’re there, that’s key in a tennis player’s career. So I’m very happy for him.” – Roger Federer, following his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in Monte-Carlo.

“It’s always special to play Roger. We know it’s always a strange match, especially being in the final here. He’s my best friend on the tour. We respect each other so much. I’m just trying on the court to win the match. Before and after, we are still very good friends. During the match, we just try everything to win. Today I’m really happy to take that one.” – Stanislas Wawrinka.

“I have had to wait 10 years to beat him on clay. It was a long wait but I am pleased with the win and the way I played.” – David Ferrer, after beating Rafael Nadal on the clay in Monte-Carlo.

“I didn’t play the right way. I didn’t play with the right intensity with my forehand. I played too short. I gave him the chance to have the control of the point almost all the time.” – Rafael Nadal.

“I just rest now. I cannot play tennis for some time. How long, I don’t know. It’s really not in my hands anymore. I’m going to rest and see when it can heal 100 percent, then I will be back on the court.” – Novak Djokovic,

“Rafa’s not a machine. Sometimes he can play not so good. Maybe today he didn’t play his best tennis, and I played very good.” – David Ferrer.

“I was frustrated, let’s be honest. I did chuck a ball out of the stadium, I did scream sometimes. I was aggravated to a degree, but not to the extent where I totally lost it.” – Roger Federer, after hitting a ball out of the stadium in frustration during his match with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

“It’s amazing to hit triple digits. It’s a great milestone to say that you have a hundred, to be the first player to hit a hundred titles. Kind of snuck up on us pretty quick. Last few years we’ve been really hot. We always wanted to beat the Woodies’ record of 61. Then trying to clip Todd Woodbridge’s 83 titles. All of a sudden I’m at 99. It will feel a lot better when we do it as a team. We’ve always looked at our career as team titles, doing it together. That’s the huge goal for this year, to do it together.” – Mike Bryan, who won his 100 career doubles title and teamed with his twin brother Bob to capture their 98th crown.

“I think of myself as two different people. There’s the Serena Williams that everyone knows: She’s crazy. She can’t make a mistake. And she’s angry and just not nice, to be honest. I’m only that person for three hours a day, when I’m on the court. The rest of the time I’m just Serena. I’m the class clown.” – Serena Williams, in comments she told Fitness Magazine.

 

SWISS SWITCH

Stanislas Wawrinka has shown that being ahead of Roger Federer in the ATP Tour Rankings is no fluke. The “other Swiss” beat Federer for only the second time in their careers to capture his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters. “When I came here, for me it was more like a test. I knew I was playing good tennis, but I didn’t expect to win because the draw was so strong,” Wawrinka said. Instead, the 29-year-old Wawrinka came on strong in the second half of the final to capture the Monte-Carlo crown to go along with the Australian Open title he won in January. “When you win a match like this, it’s only one or two points, especially in the tiebreak,” Wawrinka said. “But I think I did a great tiebreak. I was serving big and being really aggressive. Then I took the advantage at the beginning of the third set. I saw that he was a little bit tired. Me, I was playing better and better, especially moving better.” Federer, who has never won Monte-Carlo, agreed with Wawrinka. “I think it’s one of those finals that I could have won,” Federer said. “But Stan was tougher at the end. I think he deserved it just a little bit more.” It was the first all-Swiss final on the ATP World Tour in 14 years, and was the fourth time Federer had reached the final at Monte-Carlo and lost, the first three times to Rafael Nadal. “I would have loved to have won a second title (this season) because I’ve come close a few times,” Federer said. “That’s my next objective, that I get to the very end more frequently. But clearly I’m happy that the clay court season started so well for me.”

 

SIDELINED

Fresh off from winning two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, Novak Djokovic’s season is on hold because of an injury to his right wrist. With his right arm heavily taped, the Serb was visibly hampered in his semifinal loss at the Monte Carlo Masters to Roger Federer. The injury severely hampered Djokovic’s serve and backhand. “I just rest now,” Djokovic said. “I cannot play tennis for some time. How long, I don’t know. It’s really not in my hands anymore.” Ranked second in the world, Djokovic said there was one positive thing about his injury. “The good thing is I don’t need to have a surgery,” he said. “I don’t have any rupture or something like that.” He had complained earlier in the week about the pain, but said he felt better after taking a day off from playing and training. But a long quarterfinal win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez aggravated the injury. “Long match, long rallies, heavy balls, definitely did not help the state of my arm,” said Djokovic, who was seeking to win his fifth straight Masters title. “The pain was there every single day from 10 days ago. At some stages it was very painful.”

 

STRUGGLING

A back injury and defeat in the Australian Open final has cost Rafael Nadal his confidence. At least that’s what the world’s top-ranked player is saying. “I don’t have to lie to anybody,” Nadal said. “After what happened in Australia it was little bit harder for me to find again the intensity, the confidence, the inside power that I always have.” Although he won a clay court tournament in Rio de Janeiro after the Australian Open, Nadal fell in the third round of the Indian Wells Masters and lost the final of the Miami Masters. Then came the Monte-Carlo Masters where Nadal lost in the quarterfinals to fellow Spaniard David Ferrer. Asked if his back was still bothering him, Nadal said: “No, no, the back is not an excuse. The back is in good shape. The physical performance is fine. No problem about that.” The left-hander vowed: “I’m going to fight to try to find that solution soon.”

 

SUCCESS, FINALLY

It took 10 years, but David Ferrer has finally posted a win over fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal on clay. Ferrer’s 7-6 (1) 6-4 win snapped Nadal’s 30-match clay-court winning streak and came in the quarterfinals in Monte-Carlo. The last time Ferrer beat Nadal on clay was in their first ATP World Tour meeting in Stuttgart, Germany. “I have had to wait 10 years to beat him on clay,” Ferrer said. “It was a long wait but I am pleased with the win and the way I played. I spoke with my coach and we had a clear game plan. But with Rafa, it’s always tough because he doesn’t allow you to follow it. The good thing was I was able to deal with his attacks and stay strong physically for the whole match.” Nadal said he failed to stay with his own game plan. “I didn’t play the right way,” the world’s top-ranked player said. “I didn’t play with the right intensity with my forehand. I played too short. I gave him the chance to have the control of the point almost all the time.” Nadal has won Monte-Carlo eight straight years until he lost to Novak Djokovic in the final last year.

 

SIBLING POWER

The records keep falling for the Bryan brothers. Mike Bryan became the first player to win 100 tour-level doubles titles when he and twin Bob Bryan captured the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, defeating Ivan  Dodig and Marcelo Melo 6-3 3-6 10-8 (match tiebreak). It was the 98th team title for the Americans. It was the fifth title in a row for the Bryans and extended their winning streak to 21 matches. The 35-year-olds have not lost since the Memphis, Tennessee, USA, final in February. The brothers’ goal now is to win 100 titles together. “I will feel a lot better when we do it as a team,” Mike Bryan said. “We’ve always looked at our career as team titles, doing it together. That’s the huge goal for this year, to do it together.” Brother Bob said their goal is to hit the century mark before Roland Garros. “We’ve got two tournaments or three coming up before the French,” Bob Bryan said. “It’s incredible to see what he’s done. I guess I’m knocking on the door. The Californian pair have now won the Monte-Carlo Masters four times and lead with 29 ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles together.

 

STAR ARISING

Donna Vekic is out to prove she belongs with the best players on the WTA tour. The 17 year old from Croatia won her first WTA title – the BMW Malaysian Open – by posting her first win over a Top 10 player, Dominika Cibulkova. “I’m so happy – I don’t know what to say, I’m so, so happy,” Vekic said. She was runner-up in her first two WTA finals – at Tashkent in 2012 and Birmingham in 2013. And she was close to losing at Kuala Lumpur as she trailed Cibulkova 7-5 5-4. But Vekic reeled off seven straight games to take the second set and grab a 4-0 lead in the third. Cibulkova, herself a young player on the rise in the rankings, did not go down easily. She staved off three match points at 5-2 and eventually forced a tiebreak. When Vekic closed out the 5-7 7-5 7-6 (4) victory with a forehand winner, she finished the match by winning one more point than her Slovakian opponent, 122 to 121. Vekic also had 11 aces to just two for Cibulkova. At 17 years, 10 months and 23 days old, Vekic is the first player under 18 to win a WTA title since American Vania King captured Bangkok in 2006. “It was a very tough match,” Vekic said. “She played very well throughout the whole match. I was up 5-1 in the third set and she came back out playing insane. So I’m happy I was able to get through in the end.”

 

S’IL VOUS PLAIT

Not surprisingly, the French Open will pay out more this year than ever before. The men’s and women’s champions will each earn 1.65 million euros (USD $2,277,640), an increase of 150,000 euros (USD $207,059) from last year. Gilbert Ysern, tournament director at Roland Garros as well as French Tennis Federation director, said “this notable increase in Roland Garros prize money is part of the plan that was put in place for 2013 until 2017.” In all, total prize money for the clay court Grand Slam tournament increased by 3 million euros (USD $4.1 million) from last year. The biggest increases have come for those losing in the early rounds.

 

SKIPPING PARIS?

Being with his wife when she gives birth is Roger Federer’s top priority. Consequently the Swiss star could possibly miss this year’s French Open. The day before Christmas Federer announced he and his wife Mirka were expecting their third child, although they have not said when. The 32-year-old Federer says he still does not know the due date. “So we’re just waiting,” Federer said. “It’s a priority for me trying to be there, trying to support my wife. I’ve played enough tennis matches. Missing a tournament or missing a match wouldn’t change anything for me.”

 

SHORT PROBLEM

Normally when Rafael Nadal misses his first serve, he just reaches into his pocket for the second ball. At Monte-Carlo, however, he had to get the second ball from a ball person. That’s because of a problem the Spanish ace had with the pockets in his shorts. “The ball comes out of the bottom of them and gets in the way,” the world’s top-ranked player told Teledeporte. “We’ll try to sort it out for the next tournaments, but here it won’t be possible.” Pete Sampras always had just one ball at a time, as does Serena Williams. But Nadal, like many of today’s male players, grabs two balls and puts one in his pocket. “When you have been doing something the same way for so many years, when there is a change you have to think about it and it makes things a bit more difficult,” Nadal said. “But it’s better to do it that way than have the ball popping out of the bottom of your shorts, which is quite uncomfortable.”

 

SIDELINED

Great Britain’s top woman player, Laura Robson, has decided to undergo surgery on her left wrist, meaning she will miss both the French Open and Wimbledon. She was plagued by the left wrist problem throughout this year, playing just one match, and losing that to Kirsten Flipkens 6-3 6-0 in the first round of the Australian Open. She had retired because of the long-standing injury I her opening match against Yanina Wickmayer at a warm-up event in Hobart, Australia. Currently ranked 64th in the world, Robson announced on her Facebook page that she will have the operation, which will be performed by the same Minnesota-based doctor who operated on the wrist of former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro. “I wanted to inform my lovely supporters that I have decided to have minor wrist surgery at the Mayo clinic with one of the best wrist doctors in the world, Dr. Richard Berger,” Robson wrote. “Dr. Berger is very confident that I will be able to return to the tennis court pain free before you even have time to miss me.” The 20-year-old Robson won the Wimbledon girls’ singles title in 2008 and reached a career-high of 27thin the rankings last year.

 

SEEKING A COACH

Andy Murray hopes to have a new coach by next month’s French Open. The 26-year-old Murray won the London Olympics singles gold, the US Open and Wimbledon with Ivan Lendl as his coach. But the two announced their split last month and Murray is seeking a replacement. “The plan is to think exactly what I need over the next week, two weeks,” Murray told BBC Sport. “There’s a lot of factors you need to look at and I would hope I would have someone in place by the French Open, but I don’t want to rush it. I don’t want to get someone just because they’ve won a lot of tournaments or were great players.”

 

SAID WHAT?

No one was more surprised than Donald Young when an umpire assessed him a warning for what he said in a first-round match at the Sarasota ATP Challenger tournament in Sarasota, Florida, USA. What Young muttered after putting a backhand into the net was “son of a biscuit.” After being given the warning for his comment, the former world junior number one told the umpire: “Come on Keith, don’t give me crap for that, man, I said ‘son of a biscuit.’ That’s a problem? That’s a problem now?” Despite the warning, Young won his first-round match, beating Alexander Zverev, a 16-year-old qualifier from Germany. He then beat Zverev’s brother, Mischa, in the next round before losing to Nick Kyrgios of Australia. Kyrgios went on to win the Sarasota tournament, stopping Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (10) 6-4 in the final.

 

SENT PACKING

The men’s tournament in St. Petersburg, Russia, is moving to Tel Aviv, Israel. The ATP Board of Directors, meeting in Monte-Carlo, approved the tournament’s move, and now needs only a final agreement of conditions between the tournament and the ATP World Tour. “After 19 memorable years in St. Petersburg, the time has come for us to take the tournament in a new direction,” said Ruslan Linkov, a tournament representative. “We are very excited about the opportunities that lie in Tel Aviv and look forward to hold a successful event in September.” The tournament will be held at the Israel Tennis Centre at Ramat HaSharon this September and will offer USD $1,000,000 in prize money. It will be the first ATP World Tour event held in Israel since 1996.

 

STALWARTS ALL

Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska, Romania’s Simona Halep, Brazil’s Teliana Pereira and Uzbekistan’s Sabina Sharipova have been named the first four winners of the 2014 Fed Cup Heart Award. The four recipients were decided more than 60,000 fans casting ballots on FedCup.com and FedCup.com/es. The winners will receive a check to be donated to their chosen charity. It is Radwanska’s second career Heart Award for her performance in the World Group and World Group II first-round category. The other three were Zone Group I winners. The Fed Cup Heart Award recognizes players who have represented their country with distinction in Fed Cup competition.

 

STARTING YOUNG

The top eight ranked boys and girls on the 18-and-under International Tennis Federation Junior World Rankings at the end of the year will compete in the ITF Junior Masters, a new event that be held next April at the Sichuan International Tennis Centre in Chengdu, China. According to the ITF announcement, the competition will consist of two knock-out singles events, with each player guaranteed three matches to determine their final finishing position. The Sichuan International Tennis Centre, which was built in 2008, has already hosted a number of international events. The new competition will be played three match courts, including a 6,000-seat stadium court.

 

SPLIT ENDS, TOO?

When Danish star Caroline Wozniacki showed up to caddy for her fiancé Rory McIlroy at a par-3 hit and giggle event prior to The Masters, she had dyed her hair pink. By the final round other the golf major, Wozniacki’s hair was its normal blonde. But returning to her natural color may not have been easy. The tennis star posted on social media: “Does anyone know if semi-permanent hairy dye from the brand Manic Panic washes off completely after a little while?” Gold Digest writer Dan Jenkins wrote on social media: “High-level talk on Augusta National veranda: ‘Exactly what color is Caroline Wozniacki’s hair?’ I’m going with a blend of violet and stupid.”

 

SALUTED

The chairman and CEO of the WTA, Stacey Allaster, is the first person from the tennis industry to be given the Great Wall Friendship Award. The award, established by the Beijing Municipal Government, acknowledges global professionals and experts who have played instrumental roles in facilitating the development of China’s capital. “It is an honor to receive this award, and this is an accomplishment to be shared with the entire China Open team,” Allaster said. “Together we shared a vision to build the China Open into one of the world’s most exciting sports entertainment events in the world. With the success and growth of the China Open, the WTA will host 10 events in China in 2014 as women’s tennis continues to grow and develop within the region.” Since the Great Wall Friendship Award was first given in 1999, 176 honorees from 30 countries have been selected. Of those 176, only three have been from the sports industry: Allaster; Hein Vergruggen of the Netherlands, chairman of the International Olympic Committee Coordination Commission for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games; and American basketball star Stephen Marbury, who now plays for the Beijing Ducks. Besides Allaster, 14 other foreign experts received the Great Wall Friendship Award.

 

SCHOOL TIME

Paul Annacone, an Australian Open doubles champion and coach of both Roger Federer and Pete Sampras; Judy Murray, mother of Andy Murray and Great Britain’s Fed Cup captain, and Patrick McEnroe, USTA Player Development general manager, will be among the keynote speakers at this year’s Tennis Teachers Conference, which will be held in New York City in conjunction with the US Open. The four-day conference, beginning August 22, will bring together the leading tennis teaching professionals and coaches to share best practices. The event offers educational resources, facilitating innovative teaching techniques and creating networking opportunities among the members of the various associations. The conference also will include a series of interactive on-court sessions and presentations.

 

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Kuala Lumpur: Timea Babos and Chan Hao-Ching beat Chan Yung-Jan and Zheng Saisai 6-3 6-4

Monte-Carlo: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan beat Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo 6-3 3-6 10-8 (match tiebreak)

Sarasota: Marin Draganja and Henri Kontinen beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo and Franko Skugor 7-5 5-7 10-6 (match tiebreak)

 

SURFING

Barcelona: www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com/

Bucharest: http://brd-nastase-tiriac-trophy.ro/2014/

Stuttgart: www.porsche-tennis.de

Marrakech: www.lallameryemtennis.com/

Ostrava: www.prosperitaopen.cz/

Munich: http://bmwopen.de/

Qeiras: www.portugalopen.pt/

Tunis: www.tct.org.tn/

 

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$2,562,150 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain, clay

$592,239 BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy, Bucharest, Romania, clay

 

WOMEN

$644,900 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart, Germany, clay

$250,000 Grand Prix De SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Marrakech, Morocco, clay

 

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$590,148 Portugal Open, Qeiras, Portugal, clay

$590,148 BMW Open by FWU AG, Munich, Germany, clay

$125,000 Tunis Open, Tunis, Tunisia, clay

$117,586 Prosperita Open 2014, Ostrava, Czech Republic, clay

 

WOMEN

$250,000 Portugal Open, Qeiras, Portugal, clay

 

Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka
Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka

Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka
Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka

Novak Djokovic and Victoria Azarenka Retain Australian Open Titles — Mondays with Bob Greene

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By Bob Greene

STARS

Australian Open

Men’s Singles: Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray 6-7 (2) 7-6 (3) 6-3 6-2

Women’s Singles: Victoria Azarenka beat Li Na 4-6 6-4 6-3

Men’s Doubles: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan beat Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling 6-3 6-4

Women’s Doubles: Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci beat Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-2 3-6 6-2

Mixed Doubles: Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden beat Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak 6-3 7-5

Boys’ Singles: Nick Kyrgios beat Thanasi Kokkinakis 7-6 (4) 6-3

Girls’ Singles: Ana Konjuh beat Katerina Siniakova 6-3 6-4

Boys’ Doubles: Jay Andrijic and Bradley Mousley beat Maximilian Marterer and Lucas Miedler 6-3 7-6 (3)

Girls’ Doubles: Ana Konjuh and Carol Zhao beat Oleksandra Korashvili and Barbora Krejcikova 5-7 6-4 10-7 (match tiebreak)

Men’s Wheelchair Singles: Shingo Kunieda beat Stephane Houdet 6-2 6-0

Women’s Wheelchair Singles: Aniek Van Koot beat Sabine Ellerbrock 6-1 1-6 7-5

Men’s Wheelchair Doubles: Michael Jeremiasz and Shingo Kunieda beat Stefan Olsson and Adam Kellerman 6-0 6-1

Women’s Wheelchair Doubles: Jiske Griffioen and Aniek Van Koot beat Lucy Shuker and Marjolein Buis 6-4 6-3

Quad Wheelchair Singles: David Wagner beat Andrew Lapthorne 2-6 6-1 6-4

Quad Wheelchair Doubles: David Wagner and Nicholas Taylor beat Andrew Lapthorne and Anders Hard 6-2 6-3

OTHER

Michael Berrer beat Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5 6-3 to win the Heilbronn Open in Heilbronn, Germany

SAYING

Novak Djokovic

“I love this court.” – Novak Djokovic, after winning his third straight and fourth career Australian Open men’s singles title.

“I didn’t expect an easy match. You never get the Grand Slam trophy in an easy way. You have to earn it.” – Novak Djokovic.

“The past few months have been the best tennis of my life. I made the Wimbledon final, won the (London) Olympics and won the US Open. I was close here as well.” – Andy Murray, who lost the men’s singles final to Novak Djokovic.

“There were a few turning points in the match. Maybe one of them was the second game in the second set when I was love-40 against the breeze. He missed a few shots. I managed to have that crucial hold. After that I felt just mentally a little bit lighter and more confident on the court than I had done in the first hour or so.” – Novak Djokovic, after becoming the first person to win three consecutive men’s singles titles in the Open Era.

“It isn’t easy, that’s for sure, but I knew what I had to do. I had to stay calm. I had to stay positive. I just had to deal with the things that came onto me.” – Victoria Azarenka, following her second straight Australian Open victory.

“I think I was a little bit worried when I was falling. Because two seconds I couldn’t really see anything. It was totally black. So when the physio come, she was like, ‘Focus on my finger.’ I was laughing. I was thinking, ‘This is tennis court, not like hospital.’” – Li Na, discussing what happened when she fell and hit her head during the women’s final.

“It was tough tennis. I enjoy that. I think Andy was a bit better than I was tonight. He beat me fair and square tonight. No regrets from me.” – Roger Federer, following his semifinal loss to Andy Murray.

“Are you kidding me? I mean, I thought about it like for a nanosecond. It’s a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. I have to (be) taken off in a wheeler before I retire.” – Serena Williams, when asked if she considered retiring from her match against Sloane Stephens when she hurt her back.

“Whoa, it wasn’t as hard as I thought.” – Sloane Stephens, when asked about reaching her first Grand Slam tournament semifinal.

“We’re competitors. We hate to lose. We want to finish (world) number one. We set goals to get better, to improve, and to play well at these big tournaments. That’s why we’ll be out here for the next few, three, four more years.” – Bob Bryan, after he and his twin brother Mike Bryan won their sixth Australian Open men’s doubles title.

“I think we’re so successful at this tournament because we spent the off season mainly in the same spot working toward the new year. We come into these tournaments with momentum. Most teams, they fly off to different countries. But we’re always pretty much thinking, eating, breathing doubles. We’ve just always had the drive to keep improving over time.” – Mike Bryan.

“Today we’ve proven we’re a really strong doubles team. Our strength is that we always play together. We went out there today with lots of grit, and we really wanted to win.” – Roberta Vinci, after teaming with Sara Errani to win the women’s doubles.

“It felt like we were really close in that match, a lot closer than the score suggested. A point here and there, and I think that third set could have really turned.” – Ashleigh Barty, after she and Casey Dellacqua lost in the women’s doubles final.

“I’ve been in this position before and I’ve come through it. I’m tough. I’m not afraid to go out and keep working, work as hard as I can to be quicker, better, improve in these situations, and when I have another chance, take it.” – Maria Sharapova, after losing her semifinal match against Li Na.

“Do you mind if I memorialize this for posterity?” – Andre Agassi, using his cell phone to take a photo of the reporters attending his news conference.

SERBIAN DOMINANCE

When he needed it most, Novak Djokovic came up with his best tennis. And because he did, he became the first man in the Open Era to win three straight Australian Open singles titles. Roy Emerson won five straight, but his last came in 1967, one year before the game was open to all, including professionals. The victory over Andy Murray was Djokovic’s fourth Aussie Open crown, tying him with Roger Federer and Andre Agassi. Fittingly, it was Agassi on hand to hand the winner’s trophy to the top-ranked Serb. “What a joy, it’s an incredible feeling to win this trophy again,” Djokovic said. “This is definitely my favorite Grand Slam. I love this tournament. I love this court.” Born seven days apart in 1987, the two battled for nearly three hours before the first break of serve. The match lasted only 49 minutes longer as Murray lost in the Australian Open final for the third time in four years. “At this level it can come down to just a few points here or there,” said Murray, who was hampered by a badly blistered toe. “Probably my biggest chance was at the beginning of the second set, I didn’t quite get it. When Novak had his chance at the end of the third, he got his.” It was Djokovic’s sixth Grand Slam tournament singles title as he improved his career record to 11-7 over Murray. The Serb avenged the five-set defeat he suffered to the Scott in last year’s US Open final.

STAYS NUMBER ONE

It wasn’t easy, and she wasn’t the crowd favorite. But Victoria Azarenka prevailed to successfully defend her Australian Open women’s singles title and outlast her Chinese opponent, Li Na. “This one is way more emotional,” Azarenka said. “It’s gonna be extra special for me, for sure … you’re the only one who knows what you’ve been going through these two weeks. So it’s definitely an emotional one and it’s going to be special.” The victory also meant Azarenka would remain number one in the WTA world rankings. The crowd was strongly in Li’s corner, but that was probably due to Azarenka’s semifinal win over Sloane Stephens. The 19-year-old American was giving Azarenka all she could handle when the Belarusian called for a controversial medical timeout immediately after blowing five match points. That left Azarenka fending off allegations of gamesmanship. But in the title match, it was Li who twice needed treatment after falling heavily, the second time blacking out momentarily after banging her head on the court. “Listen, it was a real injury,” Li said in her post-match conference. “Maybe if I hadn’t fallen down, it would have been another story. You never know. But the reality is I fell down, so nothing can change.” It was Li’s second loss in an Australian Open final in three years.

STILL GOING STRONG

Twins Bob and Mike Bryan just continue to rewrite the record books. They became the most successful men’s pair in Grand Slam tournament history when they won their 13th doubles title, beating the Dutch pair of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling in the Australian Open final. The 34-year-old Americans snapped the record of 12 Grand Slam doubles titles they had shared with Australians John Newcombe and Tony Roche. The Bryans were contesting their ninth Australian Open doubles final in the past 10 years and were playing in an Open Era record 23rd Grand Slam championship match. It also was the brothers’ 84th career title and their second consecutive grand-slam triumph, after their win at the US Open in September. “To be a part of history is pretty special,” Mike Bryan said. “We weren’t thinking about it much out there, but now that we have it it’s going to be fun to look back on our career and say we have the most Grand Slams. It’s a big record, so we’re pretty excited about it.”

SERENA STUMBLES

It was not the start to the 2013 season Serena Williams was looking for. By the time she was upset by 19-year-old Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, Serena’s ankle had swollen to the size of a balloon and she had back spasms. She also hit herself in the face with her racquet during the year’s first Grand Slam tournament. “I’m almost relieved that it’s over because there’s only so much I felt I could do,” Serena said after her 3-6 7-5 6-4 loss to a fellow American. “Oh, my gosh, it’s been a little difficult. I’ve been thrown a lot of balls these two weeks. I’ve had a tough two weeks between the ankle, which is like this big every day. And my back, which started hurting. A lot of stuff.” Although ranked sixth in the world, Williams was favored to win her sixth Australian Open and 16th Grand Slam tournament singles crown. She had won the last two majors – Wimbledon and the US Open – as well as the London Olympic gold medal. She turned her ankle in her first-round match, and then hit herself in the head with her racquet in the second round. Against Stephens, the 31-year-old Williams raced to the net for a drop shot and a “tight back” that had been affecting her for a few days immediately flared. “It just locked up on me,” Serena said. “I couldn’t really rotate after that, which I guess is normal.” The injury affected her serve and backhand.

STANDING TALL

When Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden captured the mixed doubles, they became the first Australians to win a main draw Australian Open title in eight years. The Australians, both aged 25, beat Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak for the title. Both Gajdosova and Ebden were first-round losers in singles and were playing together for the first time. They gained entry to the field as wild cards. Scott Draper and Samantha Stosur were the last Australians to win a title at the year’s first Grand Slam event when they captured the mixed doubles in 2005.

SLOANE BREAKS THROUGH

Sloane Stephens came away from this year’s Australian Open as a winner, even in defeat. The 19-year-old American reached the semifinal where she finally succumbed to the world’s top-ranked player – and even that in a controversial finish – falling to eventual winner Victoria Azarenka 6-1 6-4. Stephens shocked her idol, Serena Williams, in the quarterfinals, putting on display some of the promise that had been predicted of her. In the ninth game of the second set against Azarenka, Stephens fought off five match points. “I just didn’t want to give it to her basically and just kind of worked for every point,” she said. But Azarenka called for a contentious injury timeout that she maintains was to treat a rib blockage that was causing her to experience breathing problems. “I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t swing,” said Azarenka, who spent 10 minutes off court with the medical staff. Stephens refused to blame Azarenka. “It’s (medical timeouts) happened before,” she said. “I mean, I’ve had in the last match, the match before, medical breaks, go to the bathroom, the whole showdown. It was just something else, but it didn’t affect anything, I don’t think.”

SUCCESSFUL

Croatia’s Ana Konjuh won two titles and Australian Nick Kyrgios captured the boys title at the Australian Open. Konjuh, only 15 years old, defeated second-seeded Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic 6-3 6-4 to win the girls’ singles. She teamed with Carol Zhao to win the girls’ doubles. “It feels really great,” said Konjuh, who also beat Siniakova in the final of the Orange Bowl in December. “I won doubles and singles in my first time here. Just the feeling is incredible.” Krygios beat fellow Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis. It was the first time two Australians had been in the final since 1994. On the eve of the final, the 16-year-old Kokkinakis had an MRI which showed he has a stress fracture in his back. “I was pretty shattered, to be honest,” Kokkinakis said. … I actually did a little bit better than I thought I would. I didn’t think I’d make it through a set. It held up and didn’t really get that much worse during the play. But it just hurt when I tried to push off.”

SKIPPING PARIS

A back injury is forcing Venus Williams to miss the Open GDF Suez in Paris, France, as well as a Fed Cup match against Italy. The 32-year-old American has been struggling to regain her best form since suffering a serious autoimmune disease in 2011. She said she was looking forward to Paris and also playing for the United States in its first-round battle against Italy. “This event was really important to me and to continue climbing up in the rankings,” Williams, who is ranked 26th in the world, said in a statement. “Unfortunately I’ve suffered a back pain which has forced me to rest and miss both the Paris event and the Fed Cup the following week.”

SCOT’S DELIGHT

In his semifinal victory, Andy Murray even stripped away Roger Federer’s cool. Rarely does Federer appear ruffled. Not this time. At one point BBC commentator Andrew Castle apologized because of an F-word tirade by Federer. And when Murray served for the match at 6-5 in the fourth set, Federer uttered some choice words in his direction. Not long after, Murray drilled a forehand directly at the body of Federer. “Stuff like that happens daily in tennis matches,” Murray said. “The stuff that people say on football pitches and in basketball and all sorts of sports, I mean, it was very, very mild in comparison to what happens in other sports. It’s just one of those things.”

STRAIGHT IN

Winner of 19 Grand Slam tournament titles, Thelma Coyne Long of Australia has been elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the Master Player Category. Eighteen of her titles were earned at the Australian Championships. She still holds several Australian Open records, including the oldest Singles champion at the age of 35 years, eight months when she won in 1954. She won 12 Australian doubles titles, the most by any player, man or woman. In 1952, Coyne Long completed the Australian triple, winning the singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Now 94 years old, Coyne Long now lives in the Sydney, Australia, area. She is the first of the International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2013 enshrines to be announced. Others will be announced on March 4 as part of World Tennis Day. They all will be enshrined in ceremonies July 13 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

STANDARD BEARORS

Alicia Molik is the new Fed Cup captain for Australia, replacing Davis Taylor, who is stepping down after seven years to focus on his role as coach of Samantha Stosur. Molik played 22 Fed Cup ties for Australia between 1999 and 2010, compiling an 18-21 total win-loss record. Australia will play its first round tie against two-time defending champions Czech Republic in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on February 9-10. The 31-year-old Molik won the singles bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and is a two-time Grand Slam tournament women’s doubles champion, winning the 2005 Australian Open and 2007 Roland Garros.

Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez will take over from Arantxa Sanchez Vicario as captain of Spain’s Fed Cup team. “Conchita is a Spanish tennis legend and it is fitting that those who have given a lot to our sport have a chance to continue helping the team,” Jose Luis Escanuela, president of the Spanish tennis federation (RFET) said. Now 40 years old, Martinez beat Martina Navratilova in the 1994 Wimbledon final. She reached the finals of the Australian Open in 1998 and the French Open two years later, rising to number two in the world rankings. As a player, she helped Spain win five Fed Cup titles. Sanchez Vicario stepped down after Spain lost their World Group first-round tie to Russia in last year’s Fed Cup. They play their World Group II match at home to Ukraine February 9-10.

SIGNED

Four-time winner Roger Federer and Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka will defend their titles at the BNP Paribas Open in March. Also in the men’s singles will be Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Tomas Berdych, Juan Martin del Potro and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Battling for the women’s title will be Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Agnieszka Radwanska, Petra Kvitova and Sloane Stephens. The tournament runs March 4-17 in Indian Wells, California, USA.

SHARING THE SPOILS

The Italian team of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci proved the seeding committee was right. The two needed three sets before capturing the Australian Open women’s doubles by stopping the unseeded Australian pair of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua. “In the third set we started to get nervous,” Vinci said. “However, today we’ve proven we’re a really strong doubles team. Our strength is that we always play together. We went out there today with lots of grit, and we really wanted to win.”

SOUTH AMERICAN SWING

The men will be playing a new ATP World Tour 500 event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this year. The 2014 calendar shows a total of 61 tournaments will be played in 31 countries across six continents, including a four-week South American swing in February. Other changes to the calendar include a change of surface in Acapulco, Mexico, from clay to hard court. Listening to complaints from players, there will be a one-week break between the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris and the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

STRONG PERFORMANCE

The International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum (ITHoF) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have presented the 2013 Golden Achievement Award to Geoff Pollard, past president and chairman of Tennis Australia and a current vice president of the ITF. The Golden Achievement Award is given annual to an individual who has made important contributions internationally to tennis in the fields of administration, promotion or education, and who has devoted long and outstanding service to the sport. Past recipients of the Golden Achievement Award are Shamil Tarpischev of Russia (2012); Tim Phillips of the United Kingdom (2011); Heinz Grimm of Switzerland (2010); Peachy Kellmeyer of the United States (2009); Juan Maria Tintore of Spain (2008); Nancy P. Jeffett of the United States (2007); James R. Cochrane of Great Britain (2006); Eiichi Kawatei of Japan (2005); John Curry of Great Britain (2004); J. Howard “Bumpy” Frazer of the United States (2003); Enrique Morea of Argentina (2002); Pablo Llorens Renaga of Spain (2001); Gil de Kermadec of France (2000), and Brian Tobin of Australia (1999).

SAD NEWS

A former president of the United States Tennis Association, Hunter Delatour, is dead at the age of 95. Delatour served as USTA president from 1983-84, was president of the International Tennis Hall of Fame from 1986-87, and on the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Board of Directors from 1983-87, during which time he served as ITF vice president.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Heilbronn: Johan Brunstrom and Raven Klaasen beat Jordan Kerr and Andreas Siljestrom 6-3 0-6 12-10 (match tiebreak)

SURFING

Paris: www.opengdfsuez.com/

Pattaya: www.pentanglepromotions.com

Davis Cup: www.daviscup.com

Montpellier: www.opensuddefrance.com

Zagreb: www.zagrebindoors.com

Viña del Mar: www.vtropen.cl

Fed Cup: www.fedcup.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

WOMEN

$690,000 Open GDF Suez, Paris, France, hard
$235,000 PTT Pattaya Open, Pattaya, Thailand, hard

DAVIS CUP
First Round

World Group

Canada vs. Spain at Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, hard
Italy vs. Croatia at Turin, Italy, clay
Belgium vs. Serbia at Charleroi, Belgium, clay
United States vs. Brazil at Jacksonville, Florida, USA, hard
France vs. Israel at Rouen, France, hard
Argentina vs. Germany at Buenos Aires, Argentina, clay
Kazakhstan vs. Austria at Astana, Kazakhstan, clay
Switzerland vs. Czech Republic at Geneva, Switzerland, hard

Group I

Americas Zone: Uruguay vs. Dominican Republic at Montevideo, Uruguay, clay

Asia/Oceania Zone: Chinese Taipei vs. Australia at Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Uzbekistan vs. China at Namangan, Uzbekistan, clay; India vs. South Korea at New Delhi, India, hard; Japan vs. Indonesia at Tokyo, Japan, hard

Europe/Africa Zone: Poland vs. Slovenia at Wroclaw, Poland, hard; Romania vs. Denmark at Cluj Napoca, Romania, hard; Ukraine vs. Slovak Republic at Kremenchug, Ukraine, hard

Group II

Americas Zone: Puerto Rico vs. Mexico at Humacao, Puerto Rico, hard; El Salvador vs. Barbados at Santa Tecla, El Salvador, clay; Venezuela vs. Guatemala at Caracas, Venezuela, hard; Peru vs. Haiti at Lima, Peru, clay

Asia/Oceania Zone: New Zealand vs. Lebanon at Auckland, New Zealand, hard; Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan at Colombo, Sri Lanka, clay; Kuwait vs. Thailand at Meshref, Kuwait, hard; Philippines vs. Syria at Lapu-Lapu, Philippines, clay

Europe/Africa Zone: Bulgaria vs. Finland at Sofia, Bulgaria, hard; Ireland vs. Estonia at Dublin, Ireland, hard; Tunisia vs. Latvia at El Menzah, Tunisia, hard; Monaco vs. Belarus at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Monaco, clay; Moldova vs. Hungary at Chisinau, Moldova, hard; Bosnia/Herzegovina vs. Luxembourg at Sarajevo, Bosnia/Herzegovina, hard; Lithuania vs. Cyprus at Siauliai, Lithuania, hard; Portugal vs. Benin at Lisbon, Portugal, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$551,879 Open Sud de France, Montpellier, France, hard
$551,879 PBZ Zagreb Indoors, Zagreb, Croatia, hard
$551,879 VTR Open, Viña del Mar, Chile, clay
$100,000 Challenger of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA, hard

WOMEN

$100,000 Dow Corning Tennis Classic, Midland, Michigan, USA, hard

FED CUP
First Round

World Group

Czech Republic vs. Australia at Ostrava, Czech Republic, hard
Italy vs. United States at Rimini, Italy, clay
Russia vs. Japan at Moscow, Russia, hard
Serbia vs. Slovak Republic at Nis, Serbia, hard

World Group II

Switzerland vs. Belgium at Bern, Switzerland, clay; Argentina vs. Sweden at Buenos Aires, Argentina, clay; Spain vs. Ukraine at Alicante, Spain, clay; France vs. Germany at Limoges, France, clay

Zone Group I
(Round Robin)

Europe/Africa at Eilat, Israel, hard: Pool A: Belarus, Austria, Croatia, Georgia; Pool B: Great Britain, Portugal, Hungary, Bosnia/Herzegovina; Pool C: Poland, Romania, Israel, Turkey; Pool D: Slovenia, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Luxembourg

Americas at Medellín, Colombia, clay: Pool A: Colombia, Canada, Peru, Venezuela; Pool B: Paraguay, Brazil, Chile, Mexico

Asia/Oceania at Astana, Kazakhstan, hard: Pool A: Kazakhstan, India, Thailand; Pool B: China, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Uzbekistan

2014 ATP World Tour Tournament Calendar Released: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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By Justin Cohen

ATP announces 2014 ATP World Tour tournament calendar

The ATP has released its 2014 ATP World Tour calendar, as approved by the ATP Board of Directors. The 2014 calendar, featuring 61 tournaments in 31 countries across six continents, will incorporate a four-week South American swing in February, highlighted by a new ATP World Tour 500 event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brad Drewett, ATP Executive Chairman & President, said: “The four-week South American swing including a new event in Rio de Janeiro is an exciting development for the sport. There are significant opportunities for growth in South America, a region that has become a key focus for us as we look to grow and develop the sport in that territory.” Elsewhere, the 2014 calendar will reincorporate a week’s break in between the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris and the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 in London. “Following careful consideration and feedback from our tournament and player members, the prevailing consensus for the benefit of our key stakeholders was to reinstate a week’s break in between the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Paris and our season-ending event in London,” said Drewett. Other changes to the calendar include a change of surface for the ATP World Tour 500 event in Acapulco, which will move from clay to hard court leading into the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells. The 2014 overall tournament prize money levels will be determined at ATP Board meetings later this year.

Djokovic, Sampras, Fish, Bryan Brothers to play Los Angeles Tennis Challenge on March 4

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, 14-time Grand Slam champion Pete Sampras, former World Top 10 player Mardy Fish and the most successful doubles duo of all time the Bryan Brothers will take part in the inaugural Los Angeles Tennis Challenge at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion on Monday, March 4. Tickets became available starting Saturday morning, January 19 at www.TicketMaster.com. They can also be purchased by calling the UCLA Central Ticket Office at (310) 825-2101 Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by calling the event directly at (310) 824-1010, ext. 251. The event is being co-hosted by Fish and former ATP World Tour player and Tennis Channel broadcaster Justin Gimelstob. The star-studded night of exciting exhibition matches falls just days before the start of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. Calif. “I am very excited about playing professional tennis in Los Angeles for the first time on March 4 at the LA Tennis Challenge,” Djokovic said. “To be playing against my good friend Mardy Fish, and partnering with my childhood tennis Idol, Pete Sampras, against the No. 1 doubles team in the world will be an amazing experience. In addition, to be able to help raise valuable funds for so many wonderful charities in the process will certainly make being at the newly refurbished Pauley Pavilion, the place to be Monday night, March 4th!” Proceeds from the event will benefit the Justin Gimelstob Children’s Fund, the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation, the Novak Djokovic Foundation, Call to Cure and the Southern California Tennis Association’s community tennis initiatives. Three exhibition pro-set matches will take place beginning at 7 p.m. Djokovic will take on Los Angeles resident Fish in singles followed by a doubles match pitting Djokovic and his childhood idol Sampras against Southern California natives Bob and Mike Bryan. An opening singles match between two marquee players will be announced shortly. “We are so thankful that a new professional tennis event will be in Los Angeles,” Mike Bryan said. “Los Angeles is home to us and it is vital that competitive and entertaining tennis is accessible here. The LA Tennis Challenge will grow into the premiere tennis event in Los Angeles, and we are proud to support it. The LA Tennis Challenge will be broadcast by Tennis Channel in the United States. To learn more about the LA Tennis Challenge go to www.LATennisChallenge.com. Like the event on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LATennisChallenge and follow on Twitter at @LA10sChallenge. For more information you can email: info@latennischallenge.com.

Tennis considers “Biological Passport”

According to an article written by Douglas Robson in USA Today, a biological passport could soon be an added carrying card for all professional tennis players. Stuart Miller, who oversees tennis’ anti-doping program for the International Tennis Federation, said Saturday such a program was “being considered seriously.” The so-called biological passport is a method of collecting and comparing biological data from athletes so that variances from normal biological levels or “markers” can be detected. Identifying those irregularities helps spot doping. The passport model is being used in cycling and track and field. “Our aim would be to implement it, but implementation is reasonably complex,” Miller said by phone from London. He characterized discussions within the ITF as “ongoing” rather than advanced but said it could be “fully operational in the order of 12 months” once it was underway. Miller did not rule out implementation as early as 2014. Consideration of the passport program coincides with a growing unease and outspokenness in the wake of Lance Armstrong’s interview with Oprah Winfrey. Armstrong admitted to using EPO, testosterone and blood doping to fuel his record seven Tour de France wins. Players from Serena Williams to Roger Federer said they were surprised and dismayed. None was harsher than two-time defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic. “I think it’s a disgrace for the sport to have an athlete like this,” the No. 1 Serb said of Armstrong. “He cheated the sport. He cheated many people around the world with his career, with his life story. … I think he should suffer for his lies all these years.” Others expressed concern about the efficacy of tennis’ current program, especially the amount of blood testing it conducts away from competition. According to the ITF’s posted figures for 2011, there were only 21 out-of-competition blood tests. At the ATP World Tour Championship in London, Federer and Scotland’s Andy Murray called for more blood testing in the sport. Djokovic said this week that he had not had a blood test in six or seven months. Bob Bryan, the top seed in doubles with brother Mike Bryan, said he had never had an out-of-competition blood test.

Fundraiser held for former Aussie player Andrew Florent stricken with cancer

According to an article written by Matt Cronin on TENNIS.com, the Australian Open and various pros and ex-pros are holding an online fundraiser for former Aussie player Andrew Florent, who has been stricken with cancer. The 42-year-old Florent and his wife Rachel have two young sons, Oliver and Jai. The tournament is auctioning off tickets to the men’s and women’s singles finals, accommodations at the Crown Metropol, tickets to the Legends Lunch starring Rod Laver and Andre Agassi, and a photo with this year’s Australian Open men’s singles champion. Jim Courier will also give the auction winners a tennis lesson, and they will get a chance to play doubles with Patrick Rafter and Goran Ivanisevic. “This is terrible news, but what has heartened “Florey” and his family has been the outpouring of support from the entire tennis fraternity,” said his longtime friend Paul Kilderry. “This auction is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the added bonus that the winner is helping out a former Australian tennis player in a time of great need.” Florent achieved a career high doubles ranking of No. 13. The auction is being held on ebay.com/au, and those who want to donate directly to the Florent family can visit wacharitydirect.com.au.

Kuznetsova signs clothing sponsorship agreement with Chinese brand Qiaodan

After more than 10 years wearing Fila clothing on and off the court, world No. 75 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion Svetlana Kuznetsova has signed a clothing sponsorship deal with Chinese brand, Qiaodan. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Kuznetsova, who just reached the quarterfinals at the Australian Open in Melbourne losing to top-ranked Victoria Azarenka, switched to Qiaodan right before the start of this year’s first major.

Goerges signs with Fila, leaves Nike

World No. 18 Julia Goerges has signed a clothing sponsorship agreement with Fila. The signing is an important one for Fila as it fills the void for just losing the face of their tennis clothing line in Kim Clijsters, and now two-time Grand Slam singles champion Svetlana Kuzentsova to a Chinese brand. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The German, who has won two career singles titles in Stuttgart and Bad Gastein, previously wore Nike until the end of 2012.

Alicia Molik named Australian Fed Cup captain

Former WTA Top 10 player Alicia Molik has been named the new captain for the Australian Fed Cup team. She replaces David Taylor, who decided not to return to his position after five years, so he could focus 100 percent on coaching Samantha Stosur. Molik reportedly beat out Todd Woodbridge, Rennae Stubbs and Nicole Pratt for the position.

Murray, Serena named 2012 International Tennis Writers Association Ambassador of the Year

Andy Murray has been presented with the International Tennis Writers Association’s top award. The 25-year-old Scot and the WTA’s Serena Williams were voted the ITWA’s Ambassadors of the Year for 2012, receiving their trophies at the Australian Open this past Saturday. The ITWA represents more than 100 of the world’s leading tennis journalists. Its awards recognize not only achievements on the court but also conduct off it, including co-operation with the media. Sebastian Fest, co-president of ITWA, said: “Andy Murray and Serena Williams are great champions, but they are also very good ambassadors for their sport. Both understand that their high standing in tennis involves major media commitments and we appreciate their co-operation with all areas of the media.” Murray won his first major title at last year’s US Open and also captured gold and silver medals at the London 2012 Olympics in the singles and mixed doubles events respectively. He finished as the year-end No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time.

Nadal returning to competitive action at Vina del Mar tournament in Chile

Former World No. 1 Rafael Nadal will return to action during the week of February 4 at the Vina del Mar tournament in Chile, a clay-court event. The lefty has not played a competitive match since losing at Wimbledon in June 2012. Following the tournament in Chile, Nadal will play the event in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Nadal, Ferrer won’t play first round Davis Cup tie for Spain

Spain Davis Cup captain Alex Corretja announced on Tuesday that Rafael Nadal and regular player David Ferrer will not participate in their first round tie against Canada in Vancouver from February 1-3. Nadal has not played since his shocking loss at Wimbledon in June 2012 due to tendinitis in his left knee. Ferrer is fresh off his 500th career win during his quarterfinal victory over Nicolas Almagro at the Australian Open. Captain Corretja announced that Almagro will lead Spain against Canada, while the doubles team of Marcel Granollers and Mark Lopez will be called upon to play, as well as world No. 51 Albert Ramos.

Player fields announced for 2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs in Atlanta: This week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

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By Justin Cohen

Wild Cards Announced for 2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs

The USTA announced on Tuesday that former Top 30 player Bethanie Mattek-Sands (Rochester, Minn.), former US Open junior champion Jack Sock (Lincoln, Neb.) and two-time reigning NCAA singles champion Steve Johnson (Orange, Calif.) are among the players competing in the 2012 Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs, held December 14-16, at Life Time Athletic & Tennis at Peachtree Corners in Norcross, Ga., a certified USTA Regional Training Center. Eight men and eight women will compete in the fourth annual Wild Card Playoffs on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with each winner earning a singles main draw wild card into the 2013 Australian Open. The USTA secured the opportunity through a reciprocal agreement with Tennis Australia, where the two national tennis federations exchanged wild cards for the 2012 US Open and 2013 Australian Open. The men’s field also includes Bradley Klahn (Poway, Calif.), Rhyne Williams (Knoxville, Tenn.), Denis Kudla (Arlington, Va.), Tennys Sandgren (Gallatin, Tenn.), Christian Harrison (Shrevport, La.) and Daniel Kosakowski (Huntington Park, Calif.). The women’s field also includes Irina Falconi (Jupiter, Fla.), Mallory Burdette (Jackson, Ga.), Madison Keys (Rock Island, Ill.), Julia Cohen (Philadelphia), Maria Sanchez (Modesto, Calif.), Alison Riske (Pittsburgh) and Alexa Glatch (Newport Beach, Calif.). To help kick off the fourth annual Australian Open Wild Card Playoff, 2012 Olympic men’s doubles gold medal winners and 12-time Grand Slam doubles champions Bob and Mike Bryan will play a unique exhibition, the “Battle of Georgia,” taking on five select doubles teams from the state each in a first-to-four-games exhibition match on Friday, December 14, at Life Time.

Western & Southern Open Sells More Than $400,000 in Gift Cards during Cyber Monday Promo

In a record-setting holiday promotion for the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, tournament fans purchased $40,750 worth of tournament “Court Cards” from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on November 26, 2012. The one-day promotion offered tournament Court Cards at a 10 percent discount. A Court Card is redeemable for tickets at the tournament box office, and food, beverage and merchandise at the Lindner Family Tennis Center during the event. The Western & Southern Open is one of only five professional tennis events in the world (outside of the grand slams) to feature top-level men’s and women’s tournaments playing concurrently at the same venue during the same week. The event is played in Mason, OH, 20 miles north of Cincinnati. Interesting facts from the Cyber Monday promotion included: An order was placed an average of every 8.5 minutes, 320 total Court Cards were purchased, the most popular denomination of gift cards ordered was $100, an average of $1,698 of card value was ordered every hour and cards were ordered from 19 different states. The 2013 Western & Southern Open will be held from August 10-18.

Li Na, Wozniacki Headline BNP Paribas Showdown in Hong Kong

World class tennis returns to Hong Kong after a two-year absence as a pair of Top 10 stars of women’s tennis will be joined by two legends of the men’s game for the BNP Paribas Showdown on March 4 at the AsiaWorld-Arena. Li Na, Asia’s first Grand Slam champion, will take on two-time year-end world No. 1 and Grand Slam finalist Caroline Wozniacki while eight-time Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl will renew his rivalry with John McEnroe, a seven-time Grand Slam champion, during the event in Hong Kong. The BNP Paribas Showdown will be produced by StarGames, Inc., in conjunction with the Hong Kong Tennis Association. It marks the first time the AsiaWorld-Arena has played host to such an international tennis event. BNP Paribas, a leader in banking and financial services and the world No. 1 tennis partner, will support this event as title sponsor. Additional event sponsors include Fiji Water, Getty Images, Wilson and PURE Fitness and Yoga. “Once more, BNP Paribas is proud to bring the best of tennis to Asia by supporting this outstanding sporting event, as it does with the same acclaimed tennis event in New York. We are excited to share our passion and enthusiasm for tennis with the fans in Hong Kong” said Paul Yang, Chief Executive Officer for BNP Paribas Hong Kong. “The BNP Paribas Showdown gives the bank a perfect opportunity to accelerate the growing awareness of our brand in Asia and it reaffirms our commitment and loyalty to this region and to this sport.” The matches will take place the same night as an event with the same name is held at Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of the first annual “World Tennis Day.” Serena Williams will play Victoria Azarenka in the first match in New York, followed by Rafael Nadal against Juan Martin del Potro.

McEnroe, Haas Sign On for 2012 Necker Cup

Seven-time Grand Slam Champion and tennis Hall of Famer John McEnroe has agreed to play in the first annual Necker Cup, joining world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, the Bryan Brothers and other current and past ATP players in the Premier Tennis Travel hosted pro-am on Sir Richard Branson’s private island, Necker Island, in the British Virgin Islands. Additionally, Necker Cup organizers at Premier Tennis Travel have announced that current ATP veteran, former World No. 2 and 2012 Comeback Player of the Year Tommy Haas has signed on to play in what is being billed as the world’s most exclusive pro-am. A former Australian Open and Wimbledon semifinalist, Haas has won 14 career ATP singles and doubles titles, as well as a silver medal in the 2000 Olympic Games. Amateurs can book a spot in the Necker Cup Pro-Am by calling (001) 800-376-0975 or by visiting www.NeckerCup.com.

Former ATP Chief Mark Miles Lands New Role as CEO at IndyCar’s Parent Company

According to an article written by Matt Cutler on SportsBusiness.com, experienced sports industry executive Mark Miles has been named CEO of Hulman & Co, parent company of the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and the sport’s media and technology partner IMS Productions. In the sports world, Miles served as CEO of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the governing body of men’s tennis, from 1990 to 2005. Before that he led Indianapolis’ staging of the 1987 Pan American Games, while he also served as chairman of the board for the city’s hosting of the National Football League’s (NFL) Super Bowl last year. Miles added: “I’m excited about joining the team and contributing my lifetime learning from international professional sports, large-scale major sports events and business environments. I have worked for companies with global profiles and brands, and I’m happy to continue that on behalf of the Hulman-George family and its significant business interests.”

Wilson Unveils New Racket Series for 2013

Building upon the success of one of its most popular rackets among Next Gen tour players, Wilson Racquet Sports is unveiling the next evolution of the Blade™ racket series for 2013, engineered for hard-hitting players that want to maximize control, spin and feel. The new rackets take control to the next level and feature Wilson’s proprietary Amplifeel™ handle technology for optimal feel, as well as an enhanced modulus graphite construction for added control. A new sleek black and silver cosmetic, inspired by tour players, rounds out the revamped product family. “I had a great time testing the Blade 98,” said Milos Raonic. “The increased level of feel and control gives me exactly what I am looking for in 2013. It looks and feels great for my game.” The Blade 98™ is now available in an additional 16×19 (318g) spin-enhancing string pattern. Milos Raonic leads the charge of Blade 98 players, and newest Wilson team member, Gael Monfils, switched to Wilson to play with the new racket. Wilson Next Gen players Laura Robson, David Goffin and Elina Svitolina are already adding wins to their career records. Included in the group are the Blade 93™, Blade 98 and Blade 104™. Used by 75 percent of Wilson’s Next Gen team, the rackets will be available at retail December 1.

Murray, Hewitt, Raonic Headline 2013 Brisbane International Field

World No. 3 and defending US Open Champion Andy Murray and former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt headline a strong player field at the 2013 Brisbane International presented by Suncorp. Five Top 20 players have signed up for the Australian Open tune-up event including No. 13 Milos Raonic, No. 16 Gilles Simon, 2012 Brisbane runner-up and World No. 18 Alexandr Dolgopolov, as well as No. 19 Kei Nishikori. Other set to compete in Brisbane in January include Marcos Baghdatis, Tommy Robredo, Australian No. 1 Marinko Matosevic, David Goffin, Martin Klizan, Radek Stepanek, Jurgen Melzer, Florian Meier, Jarkko Nieminen and Paul-Henri Mathieu. This year’s tournament will take place from December 30, 2012 – January 6, 2013.

Bryan Brothers help Eric Butorac Raise $50,000 During Charity Event in Minnesota

With the help from fellow ATP players Bob and Mike Bryan, Nicholas Monroe, Brian Battistone and Michael Yani, doubles specialist Eric Butorac was able to raise more than $50,000 during his fourth annual charity event, Eric Butorac’s Minnesota Tennis Challenge on November 17 in Eden Prairie. “It feels so great to give back to the Minnesota tennis community,” Butorac says. “It is the place where I enjoyed most of my tennis development and hope that many others can share the same opportunities that I had.” Hosted by Wayne Bryan at Life Time Athletic in Eden Prairie, the charitable cause raised more than $50,000 for inner city tennis programs in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Proceeds benefited the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center, Inner City Tennis, Saint Paul Urban Tennis and the Rochester Boys and Girls Club. The event saw 1,000 people turn out for the festivities, featuring a clinic, doubles Pro-Am, VIP reception, a doubles match between Butorac/Monroe and the top-ranked Bryans, and an auction and gala.

Ryan Harrison Invitational Raises Funds for Wounded Warriors Project

Ryan Harrison and fellow Americans Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Ryan Sweeting, Scott Lipsky and Christian Harrison came together recently in Shreveport, Louisiana to raise money for the Wounded Warriors Project in the first annual Ryan Harrison Invitational. “I could not be happier with the way things went this first year of the Ryan Harrison Invitational,” said the 20-year-old Harrison. “I am so grateful for what our troops do to preserve our freedom and rights here in the United States and around the world and I am glad that we could all come together to help raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project. They sacrifice so much for us.” Several hundred people turned out for the charity event, which featured a gala, kids clinic and exhibition. The gala on Saturday night, which included dinner, dancing, a meet and greet, as well as a singing performance by Ryan’s younger brother Christian, raised approximately $20,000 for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Juan Carlos Ferrero to Coach Nicolas Almagro Part-Time

According to a report on TENNIS.com by Matt Cronin, the recently retired Juan Carlos Ferrero will coach fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro on a part-time basis. Ferrero told journalists during the Davis Cup final that he does not want to travel full-time, but will accompany Almagro to the ATP event in Acapulco in February.

Dimitrov to be Coached by Swedish Team

World No. 48 Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria will now be coached by the Good to Great Tennis Academy in Sweden, which is run by former ATP players Magnus Norman, Nicklas Kulti and Mikael Tillstrom. Dimitrov was most recently coached by Patrick Mouratoglou at his academy in Paris. Tillstrom will accompany Dimitrov at the Australian tournaments in January 2013.

Federer to skip Miami Masters, Monte Carlo, Paris Bercy in 2013

As Roger Federer typically does around the Thanksgiving holiday, he releases his tournament schedule for the upcoming season. In 2013, Federer will skip the Miami Masters in March, a tournament he has played every year since 1999. The 17-time Grand Slam Champion will also skip Monte Carlo and is not scheduled to play in his hometown event in Basel. The Swiss will begin tournament play in 2013 at the Australian Open, and then play ATP 500 tournaments in Rotterdam and Dubai, followed by the Indian Wells Masters. He will then take seven weeks off before returning on clay in Madrid, then play the week after that in Rome and head to Roland Garros. He will again play the grass court warm-up tournament in Halle (his only ATP 250-level event) before heading to Wimbledon. During the North American summer, Federer will play Canada, Cincinnati, and the US Open. In the fall, he is only scheduled to play Shanghai before the ATP World Tour Finals (assuming he qualifies), which means he will skip the Masters in Paris/Bercy again.

Kei Nishikori becomes first Japanese man to win Japan Open — Mondays with Bob Greene

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By Bob Greene

STARS

Victoria Azarenka beat Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-1 to win the women’s singles at the China Open in Beijing, China

Novak Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4) 6-2 to win the China Open men’s singles in Beijing, China

Kei Nishikori beat Milos Raonic 7-6 (5) 36 6-0 to win the Rakuten Japan Open in Tokyo, Japan

Kenny De Schepper beat Michael Llodra 7-6 (7) 4-6 7-6 (4) to win the Ethias Trophy in Mons, Belgium

James Blake beat Mischa Zverev 6-1 1-6 6-4 to win the RelyAid Natomas Challenger in Sacramento, California, USA

SAYING

Kei Nishikori

“I have not been able to play well in Japan until now, so I always thought perhaps I was not mentally strong enough to do so. But (after) the match against (Tomas) Berdych, something changed. I was able to play much better yesterday and today as well. On one side of my mind, I cannot believe I won the tournament, but at the same time, I feel that I’m happy I was able to do this.” – Kei Nishikori, after becoming the first Japanese man to win the Rakuten Open in Tokyo, Japan.

“He was reading my serve really well from the beginning, and that usually doesn’t happen. I didn’t create the opportunities and go for it like the previous two days.” – Milos Raonic, following his loss to Kei Nishikori.

“That’s the target. This will definitely help me in that race, but it’s still quite open. There are still tournaments to come, big ones.” – Novak Djokovic, on his chance of once again reaching number one in the ATP World Tour rankings this year.

“I missed maybe something in the middle of the first set. I was a break up and I was playing well, but then he played solid. It was really difficult to control him.” – Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, on playing and losing to Novak Djokovic.

“I was doing the right things, making sure I didn’t let Maria play the game she likes, always being in control and dominating.” Victoria Azarenka, after beating Maria Sharapova to win the China Open women’s singles.

“Victoria played a really good match – she just did many things much better than I did. I felt like when I had the chance, in situations where I had opportunities to get back in the set or in the match, I was just making errors. They were little windows, but as small as they were, I just didn’t take them. Against somebody who is number one in the world, you can’t do that.” – Maria Sharapova.

“It’s obviously an honor to hold this prestigious record. There are some incredible names towards the top of this list and it’s humbling to be in such elite company. Huge props must go out to Todd Woodbridge, who epitomized class and excellence on and off the court.” – Mike Bryan, who broke the record of doubles titles he shared with Todd Woodbridge.

“This has been the best year of my career. To have the opportunity to play at the TEB BNPParibas WTA Championships in Istanbul will be an amazing way to end 2012.” – Angelique Kerber, after qualifying for the season-ending WTA Championships.

“I’m so proud to be able to represent my country at the Championships in both singles and doubles. This has been a wonderful year for me, and to be able to play not only singles, but also doubles in Istanbul with my good friend Roberta Vinci, is a great way to finish the season.” – Sara Errani, who qualified for both singles and doubles at the season-ending WTA Championships.

“For me I’ve already reached my goal by getting back to world number one in the summer. That was for me the goal, getting back there and winning a Grand Slam, particularly Wimbledon.” – Roger Federer, on his keeping the number one ranking for the remainder of the year.

STREAKING SERB

Novak Djokovic has the Midas touch when it comes to Beijing, China. The top-seeded Serb won his third China Open title by besting Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4) 6-2. He also won in Beijing in 2009 and 2010. Djokovic won a close tie-breaker 7-4, then raced to the title, breaking the third-seeded Tsonga twice in the second set. Following the match, Djokovic delighted the crown by joining the ball girls and boys in doing the “horse dance” made popular by South Korean Psy in his “Gangnam Style” hit video. After suffering his sixth straight loss to the Serbian, Tsonga said he needed to raise his game to beat the top players after his sixth straight loss to the Serbian. “I just tried to play my game, to be aggressive, but against a player like this, for the moment, my level is not high enough and it’s not enough to beat him,” Tsonga said. Djokovic promised to make a bid for a fourth Beijing title next year. “I am planning to come back to the China Open next year,” he said. “It’s been one of my most successful tournaments. This is where I love to play. I love the conditions and I have lots of support form the fans, who are very loyal and very nice.”

SIBLING STREAK

Brothers Bob and Mike Bryan continue their assault on the record book. The twins did not drop a set en route to winning their third China Open doubles crown in four years. And the 6-2 6-2 victory over Carlos Berlocq and Denis Istomin was Mike Bryan’s 84th career doubles title, breaking the old mark he held with Australia’s Todd Woodbridge. Mike’s career doubles record in title matches is 84-45, while Bob Bryan is now 82-44 in tour-level finals. The Americans improved to 59-9 this season, capturing their seventh title of the year in 10 finals. “It feels great to win again in Beijing,” Bob Bryan said. “We love playing here and have created some really fond memories in this city. The facility is impressive, the hospitality is first class, and we always receive tremendous support from the fans.”

SINO SUCCESS – AT LAST

For 40 consecutive years, no Japanese man had ever won Tokyo’s Japan Open. Kei Nishikori changed all that. A native of Shimane Prefecture in southern Japan, the 22-year-old Nishikori became the first Japanese man to capture the title when he beat big-serving Milos Raonic 7-6 (5) 3-6 6-0. “I’m partying tonight,” Nishikori said in a courtside interview as the sellout crowd went wild. “I’d thought the gods were against me at this event in the past. To win the title is amazing. I’m overwhelmed.” Nishikori handled Raonic’s big serve handily, continuing to put pressure on his Canadian opponent. “Kei is so quick and he was reading my serves well, which doesn’t usually happen,” said Raonic, who noted: “Kei is a superstar in Japan.” The winner is not a beer drinker, however. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with a year’s worth of Corona beer,” he said, referring to a bonus gift from the tournament sponsors. “I don’t even like beer.” It was the second career title for Nishikori, who won in Delray Beach, Florida, USA in 2008.

SPECIAL WIN

Victoria Azarenka showed there is a huge gulf between number one and number two in women’s tennis. The top-ranked Belarusian completely outclassed the second-ranked Sharapova 6-3 6-1 to easily win the China Open. Azarenka has now beaten Sharapova in their last five meetings on hard court and four of the last five times they had met in finals. The Russian committed 39 unforced errors to just 14 by the winner. It was Azarenka’s 13th WTA trophy and her first since she captured Indian Wells, California, USA, six and a half months ago. Azarenka still has Linz, Austria, and the WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, left on her 2012 schedule. “I have two more tournaments to play, about 10 more matches,” she said. “I’m looking forward to maximizing the potential in all of them. I’m really happy that in the end of the year I still have that determination I had in the beginning of the year, that desire to go out there and show my best tennis and win.”

SEEKING TOP SPOT

There’s a new team to challenge for the top in men’s doubles. Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares won their second title in as many weeks when they captured the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships, beating the top-seeded team of Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek in the final. The week before, Peya and Soares won the Malaysian Open. “The (ATP World Tour) 500s are really tough,” Soares said. “We had a great win yesterday against (Tomas) Berdych and (Nenad) Zimonjic, an amazing team. And today, to beat a team that’s played in two Grand Slam finals this year, it’s good to know we’re on the right track. Once you start beating these teams, you know you have a shot at the bigger tournaments. We’re very happy for that but also looking forward to next week.” Peya improved to 4-8 lifetime in ATP World Tour finals, while Soares is now 8-9 in titles matches. Soares said he and Peya teamed up just prior to the US Open. “We had a good tournament there,” he said. “We didn’t play our best tennis, but we felt we were improving as a team. I think last week and this week, we felt we getting better and better.”

Despite missing out on the title, Paes and Stepanek clinched a berth in the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, which will be played in London in November. Paes and Stepanek dropped to a 26-9 match record on the season, including two titles. Paes dropped to 50-36 lifetime in doubles finals, while Stepanek is 15-12.

STAGE SET

The O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, is going to be busy next month. The arena will be the site for the 100th Davis Cup final November 16-18, which will pit the Czech Republic against defending champion Spain. That will come just two weeks after the Fed Cup final is held at the O2 Arena between the Czech Republic and Serbia, which is set for November 3-4. It is the first stadium to host both finals in the same year. Spain will be seeking its fourth Davis Cup title in five years, including a 5-0 sweep of the Czechs at home in 2009. The Czechs won their only Davis Cup title as Czechoslovakia in 1980.

SUMS UP

The Australian Open prize money has been increased, but that may not be enough. Novak Djokovic welcomed news that the year’s first Grand Slam tournament will increase its prize money by USD $4.1 million. “It’s a step forward, definitely,” Djokovic said. “They have clearly shown understanding for players’ demands and what the players had to say, so that’s really nice to see.” But he added, “It’s not over yet.” The men players were considering boycotting the Australian Open in order to gain a higher percentage of Grand Slam tournament revenues. At issue is the pay of lower-ranked players, who often lose in the first round after making the long journey Down Under. While first-round losers earned USD $21,600 this year, some players struggle to make ends meet after paying for travel and other expenses. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said the prize money breakdown would be determined after he meets with the ATP Players’ Council representatives, including Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray.

SEEING ACTION?

Rafael Nadal may be returning to a tennis court later this year. Organizers say Nadal is scheduled to play an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi in December. The Spaniard has not played since losing to Lukas Rosol in the second round at Wimbledon in June. Nadal has been suffering from a partial tear of the patella tendon and inflammation of his left knee. He was unable to defending his Olympic title in London and had to withdraw from the US Open. Others competing in the three-day Mubadala World Tennis Championships in Abu Dhabi beginning December 27 will include Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

SHANGHAI SECURITY

Security at the Shanghai Masters this week was tightened after Roger Federer received an online death threat. According to reports, the threat was posted last month on a Federer fan site by “Blue Cat Polytheism Founder 07. It threatened to assassinate Federer and was accompanied by a gruesome image of a decapitated player. In a statement, the tournament said it was aware of the threat. “The Shanghai Rolex Masters has security in place for our players and every precaution is taken to make sure players are kept safe and comfortable and allowed to do the job they are here for: to play tennis and provide their fans with the thrill of watching them in action,” the statement said.

SET FOR ISTANBUL

Angelique Kerber of Germany, Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and Sara Errani of Italy have clinched berths in the season-ending TEB BNPParibas WTA Championships, which will be held October 23-28 in Istanbul, Turkey. The tournament will feature the world’s top eight singles players and top four doubles teams competing for a share of USD $4.9 million in prize money. The newest trio joins Victoria Azarenka, Maria Sharapova, Agnieszka Radwanska and Serena Williams in the elite field. Four players – Li Na of China, Samantha Stosur of Australia, Marion Bartoli of France and Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark – remain in contention for the final singles berth and two alternate positions. Kvitova is the defending champion, while Errani also qualified for Istanbul in doubles with countrywoman Roberta Vinci. Errani is the first player to complete in both singles and doubles at a Championships since 2009 when sisters Serena and Venus Williams accomplished the feat.

SENIOR STARS

John McEnroe will lead six senior stars when the newly-formatted ATP Champions Tour returns to Delray Beach, Florida, USA in February. Others in the three-day round-robin event will be Mats Wilander, Pat Cash, Carlos Moya, Mark Philippoussis and Aaron Krickstein. The “legends” event will be held during the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, which will be held February 22-March 3. “Our fans never tire of seeing Johnny Mac,” said tournament director Mark Baron. “He is a magician with a tennis racket in his hands. The amazing skills that you see in him and players like Mats and Pat are the reason people of all ages keep coming back.”

SURPRISE

Zhang Ze might be ranked only 165th in the world among men tennis players, but he became the first Chinese player to advance into the third round of an ATP tournament when he upset Richard Gasquet of France in the second round at the China Open in Beijing. Zhang beat another Chinese player, Wu Di, in the opening round. Then came Gasquet, who is ranked 14th in the world was seeded fifth in the Beijing tournament. “This year actually I play a lot of, you know, high-profile tournaments,” Zhang said. “This gives me a lot of opportunities to play against the high-profile opponents. Today I have no fear. I’m very relaxed. I’m not that nervous, so I’m going to try my best to play with utmost performance.” He did, beating Gasquet 6-4 3-6 6-4. In the next round Zhang lost to Florian Mayer of Germany.

STEPS UP

The new chief executive officer of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and the BNPParibas Open is former player Raymond Moore, who has been involved with the event for 25 years as a former owner and managing partner. Moore will be directly involved overseeing the operations of the tournament and the venue while reporting to Oracle Corp. co-founder and CEO Larry Ellison, who owns both the tournament and the venue. The BNPParibas Open, played every March in the southern California desert, is a joint ATP-WTA  event. Steve Simon will continue in his role as BNPParibas Open tournament director and chief operating officer of the Tennis Garden. In March, former pro player Charlie Pasarell left his management post with the tournament after 31 years.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Beijing (men): Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan beat Carlos Berlocq and Denis Istomin 6-3 6-2

Beijing (women): Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina beat Nuria Llagostera Vives and Sania Mirza 7-5 7-5

Mons: Tomasz Bednarek and Jerzy Janowicz beat Michael Llodra and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-5 4-6 10-2 (match tiebreak)

Sacramento: Tennys Sandgren and Rhyne Williams beat Devin Britton and Austin Krajicek 4-6 6-4 12-10 (match tiebreak)

Tokyo: Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares beat Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek 6-3 7-6 (5)

SURFING

Tiburon: http://tiburonchallenger.com/

Tashkent: www.tennis.uz/

Shanghai: www.shanghairolexmasters.com/

Linz: www.generali-ladies.at/

Osaka: http://hp-open.jp/

Moscow: www.kremlincup.ru/

Stockholm: www.ifstockholmopen.se/

Vienna: www.erstebank-open.com/de/

Luxembourg: www.bglbnpparibas-open.lu/

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$3,531,650 Shanghai Rolex Masters, Shanghai, China, hard

$125,000 Tashkent Open, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, hard

$100,000 First Republic Bank Tiburon Challenger, Tiburon, California, USA, hard

WOMEN

$220,000 Generali Ladies Linz, Liinz, Austria, hard

$220,000 HP Open, Osaka, Japan, hard

$100,000 ITF Women’s Tournament, Suzhou, China, hard

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$673,150 Kremlin Cup, Moscow, Russia, hard

$633,325 If Stockholm Open, Stockholm, Sweden, hard

$633,325 Erste Bank Open, Vienna, Austria, hard

WOMEN

$750,000 Kremlin Cup, Moscow, Russia, hard

$220,000 BGLBNPParibas Luxembourg Open, Luxembourg, hard

 

Bryan Brothers renew partnership with Prince: This week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

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By Justin Cohen

Bob and Mike Bryan

Bob and Mike Bryan Extend Partnership with Prince

Prince Global, a leading tennis equipment and footwear company, and a wholly owned subsidiary of Active Brands Company, announced recently it has renewed a partnership with record-breaking American doubles team and 2012 US Open Men’s Doubles Champions Mike and Bob Bryan. The Bryan Brothers will continue to use Prince’s EXO3 Rebel 95 racquet and Beast XP string to maximize their performance. In winning their fourth U.S. Open title, the Bryans have won 12 major doubles titles – equaling the all-time record set by John Newcombe and Tony Roche. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “Prince is committed to strengthening its long-term relationships within the global tennis community and to that end we are excited to have Mike and Bob Bryan continuing to use Prince products to support their game,” said Ken Merritt, Director of Player Development for Prince Global Sports. “They are the best doubles team of their generation and have been long-standing supporters of our brand.” The Bryan Brothers have been using Prince racquets since 2007, helping them win over 40 titles with the brand including the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

John Embree Named USPTA CEO and Executive Director

The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) announced late last week that its Board of Directors and Search Committee had hired tennis industry veteran John Embree as the new CEO and Executive Director. Embree will take the administrative reigns from Tim Heckler, who will retire at the end of the year, after 30 years in the position. Embree will begin transitioning into his role as of October 1 and will be relocating to the national office in Houston on November 1. The association conducted a search for the new CEO/Executive Director, and after interviewing several candidates in conjunction with the executive search firm, GSI Executive Search Inc., the USPTA Search Committee offered the position to Embree. The contract was ratified by the USPTA Executive Committee in late August. “I began my tennis odyssey during college as a teaching professional in Virginia. After more than three decades of working in the sport that I began playing at 6 years old, my career has come full circle, back to my foundation as a grassroots advocate. I am thrilled to have been chosen by the Executive Committee to help lead the USPTA in the years to come,” said Embree. “We are pleased to welcome John Embree into the USPTA family. His vast tennis industry expertise, contacts, and company management skills will serve the USPTA well,” said President Tom Daglis. Embree has held a wide variety of influential tennis industry roles for more than 30 years. They include serving as President of Prince Sports, The Americas; President of Balle de Match LLC; and Vice President/General Manager, Racquet Sports Division for Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Most recently, he launched a tennis consulting practice to assist endemic brands, associations and new corporate entities in maximizing their impact in the tennis marketplace. His client list included the USTA, Intercollegiate Tennis Association, Peter Burwash International, Off the Grid Technologies, and Donnay USA. Embree has served on many national USTA Committees, including the USTA Nominating Committee in 2005-2006 and currently as the Vice Chair of USTA Professional Circuits Committee. In addition, he recently served as Presidential appointee of the Board of Directors of USTA Middle States section, is a past member of TIA Board of Directors and Executive Committee, member of the Board of Directors of American College of Sports Medicine Foundation, and past President of the Chicago Tennis Patrons Foundation. One of his proudest achievements in tennis was the creation of the USTA Adult League Tennis program in 1980, when he served as the first USTA Adult League Tennis Administrator for two years. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, VA, and was inducted into the W&L Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.

Wagner, Taylor Named 2011-2012 Paralympic Team of the Year by United States Olympic Committee

The United States Quad Doubles Wheelchair Tennis Team of veterans David Wagner and Nick Taylor have been selected by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as the 2011-2012 Paralympic Team of the Year following their third consecutive Quad Doubles gold medal at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. Wagner and Taylor are the first Quad tennis players, singles or doubles, to be recognized by the USOC for this prestigious honor, since the USOC first established the award for Paralympians in 2009. They are also the first tennis players to receive this honor since Jennifer Capriati won the USOC SportsWoman of the Year award in 2001. This week, Wagner and Taylor will be honored at the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Assembly dinner alongside Olympians Allyson Felix (Track & Field), Michael Phelps (Swimming), the U.S. Women’s Eight Rowing Team, and Paralympians Raymond Martin (Track & Field), and Jessica Long (Swimming). “I am truly honored to be selected for this award,” said Taylor. “With all the exceptional teams that could have been chosen, it’s exciting to be recognized for our long time dedication and commitment to the sport. This is a great honor not just for David and me, but for American wheelchair tennis.” “I’m so honored to receive this award,” said Wagner. “We have worked so hard to be the best team we can be, and are pleased to represent the United States of America. I’m truly proud to win this award with Nick. It is great for the sport of wheelchair tennis to be recognized in this way by the USOC.” Last year, Wagner, originally from Portland, Ore., and Taylor, from Wichita, Kan., led the United States to the World Team Cup Championship, landing them their seventh World Team Cup title as doubles partners. That summer, they captured their seventh Grand Slam title at the 2011 US Open. Earlier this year, they finished third at the 2012 World Team Cup Championships.

Australian Open to Host Wild Card Playoff in Nanjing, China

The Australian Open will host a regional wild card playoff for entry into the 2013 tournament in Nanjing, China. The male and female winners of the playoff will gain entry to the main draw of the Australian Open, which lists itself as “The Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific.” The Asia/Pacific wildcards were previously decided by nomination. The playoff will not be open to Australian players. The Australian Open also holds a separate wild card tournament in Australia for national players.

Nadal Named “Person of the Year” by Spanish Vanity Fair

Despite having been missing in action from the ATP World Tour scene, Rafael Nadal collected a prestigious honor on Monday in Madrid. The former World No. 1 was presented the “Person of the Year” award by the Spanish edition of Vanity Fair at the Italian Consulate in Madrid. Vanity Fair announced that Nadal was selected for the award due to his all around accomplishments on the court as a professional tennis player, as well as his good works of the Rafa Nadal Foundation. The prize is presented to an individual deemed to exercise the “most influence” on society “in any of its spheres.” Last year’s recipient was Nobel literature laureate Mario Vargas Llosa. During a beautiful acceptance speech, the 7-time French Open champion thanked the magazine and its readers for the award, emphasizing how much their support meant in a challenging time.

Anderson asking for too much money from Tennis South Africa

According to a report from Matt Cronin on TENNIS.com, top-ranked South African player Kevin Anderson is demanding too much money to play Davis Cup says Tennis South Africa Chief Executive Ina Smith. Anderson recently declined playing for his country in Davis Cup against Canada and instead played in the World TeamTennis Finals in Charleston, S.C. Anderson has claimed that Tennis South Africa does not compensate him properly and would not take care of him financially if he became injured and could not play tour events. Smith hopes that Anderson will rejoin the team, but it depends on his demands.

Bhupathi Lashes Out at India’s Tennis Federation after Two-Year Ban

According to The Wall Street Journal of India, multiple Grand Slam Doubles champion Mahesh Bhupathi has lashed out at India’s Tennis Federation, accusing them of “dirty politics” after the federation banned him and doubles partner Rohan Bopanna for two-years. The ban effectively restricts the duo from participating in two editions of the Davis Cup. At a press conference in Mumbai, Bhupathi launched a blistering attack on the “dictatorial” policies of the All India Tennis Federation, singling out its president, Anil Khanna. The 38-year-old’s remarks come days after the federation, the main governing body for tennis in India, did not field the duo for a Davis Cup relegation play-off match against New Zealand on Saturday. Soon after, the sporting federation announced that Bhupathi and Bopanna were ineligible to participate in upcoming editions of the international tournament until June 2014. The World No. 15 in doubles is currently challenging the decision, arguing that the sporting federation is not competent to do so. India’s Tennis Federation has recently accused Bhupathi and Bopanna of violating disciplinary norms ahead of the London Olympics.

Lacoste Partners with OrthoLite

OrthoLite®, the leader of open cell foam insoles, has partnered with fashion icon LACOSTE to enhance their upcoming Sport Active Collection for men’s and women’s footwear available in spring 2013. The new LACOSTE Sport Active Collection evokes everything that’s cool, carefree and even more comfortable about the upcoming spring season, with its fresh preppy styles, retro pastels and bold and 90s inspired shapes. The entire collection will now feature high-performance OrthoLite insoles to ensure comfort in every stylish step. “With almost 80 years of sporting heritage, the brand shares OrthoLite’s vision to offer quality, comfort and high performance footwear products. By including OrthoLite in the collection, LACOSTE will now offer its customers the best in customized technology and comfort, while still being cool and fashionable.” With the inclusion of OrthoLite, the LACOSTE Sport Active Collection will now offer the benefits of breathability, moisture control, anti-microbial properties and long-term cushioning. “We are very excited to announce this partnership with LACOSTE,” said Pamela Gelsomini, OrthoLite President. “With almost 80 years of sporting heritage, the brand shares OrthoLite’s vision to offer quality, comfort and high performance footwear products. By including OrthoLite in the collection, LACOSTE will now offer its customers the best in customized technology and comfort, while still being cool and fashionable.” LACOSTE is a premium lifestyle brand combining sporting elegance with understated French style. Both in daily life and on the sports field, LACOSTE bases its success on the essential values of authenticity, optimism and joie de vivre. LACOSTE currently sponsors many tennis players including John Isner, Richard Gasquet, Milos Raonic and the recently retired former World No. 1 Andy Roddick.

US Open reaches Millions of Fans Worldwide

This year’s US Open was broadcast in 180 countries around the world, to go along with television coverage on CBS Sports, ESPN and Tennis Channel in the United States. The tournament’s official website, USOpen.org, had more than 325 million page views and was accessed by more than 11.7 million visitors throughout the world. It is the fourth consecutive year that the official tournament website for the US Open topped 10 million in unique visitors. Also, more than 2.8 million hours of free live streaming was viewed by fans domestically. The free streaming was available across computers, mobile devices and tablets.

Battle in the Bay Classic set for October 12-14

The 2012 Battle in the Bay Classic, a Division I collegiate tennis tournament hosted by the University of San Francisco Men’s Tennis Team at the California Tennis Club, is set to take place from October 12-14. The event was formed in 2009 by the University of San Francisco men’s tennis head coach Peter Bartlett, assistant coach Pablo Pires de Almeida, and the California Tennis Club Director of Tennis, Steve Jackson. This invitational tournament will feature some of the best college players from the west coast, including some former top Northern California juniors. Players from Duke, USC, Stanford, Pepperdine, Cal, Boise State, USF and other top division-1 tennis programs will be facing off in a tournament format to see who will hold the title as the best singles and doubles players to compete in the Bay Area this year. Main draw singles will be made up of 32 players and 16 teams for doubles. Battle in the Bay Classic is an Intercollegiate Tennis Association sanctioned event that will count for NCAA Division I singles and doubles rankings. It is an opportunity for all players to improve their rankings and a unique experience that will showcase the highest-level collegiate tennis at its very best. The schedule of events include a Sponsor/Player Pro-Am, cocktail reception, Kids Day, exhibition match with former ATP Professional Paul Goldstein and the best college tennis players from the west coast competing. Admission is free and open to the public.

USTA Northern California Section Offering $30 Memberships for Adults through September 30

Through September 30, adults in the Northern California area can join the USTA for just $30 and receive a free US Open hat with their purchase. Using the code NCINTR12, you can take advantage of this wonderful offer. Membership with the USTA enables you to register for leagues and tournaments, take advantage of special discounted tickets to top tennis tournaments including the US Open, receive other special benefits that are only offered to members and so much more.

Tennis Channel names Jim Courier lead men’s analyst for 2012 US Open: This week in tennis business with Justin Cohen

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By Justin Cohen

Jim Courier

Tennis Channel Names Jim Courier Lead Men’s Analyst for 2012 US Open

Tennis Channel is adding Hall of Famer Jim Courier to its on-air roster for its fourth US Open, August 27 through September 9. As lead men’s tennis analyst, the current U.S. Davis Cup captain and four-time major singles champion will provide his unique point of view during much of the network’s 70-plus match hours. In all, Tennis Channel will devote close to 245 hours of US Open-related programming to the two-week tournament, a round-the-clock schedule built on matches all day, US Open Tonight after hours and Breakfast at the Open the following morning. Courier, through a multiyear agreement with the network, joins an all-star stable of Tennis Channel personalities, including fellow Hall of Famers Martina Navratilova and Tracy Austin, and sports casting mainstays Bill Macatee and Ted Robinson. In 2011 he offered analysis during select first-week matches, marking his first appearance on the channel. This year his role is being expanded throughout the event. “We had fun last year and I look forward to doing more matches with Tennis Channel at this year’s US Open,” said Courier. “With different men’s singles winners at each of the other majors, as well as the Olympics, there are a lot of question marks coming into the tournament this time around, and I’m excited to see how it’s all going to unfold.” No network devotes as many hours of television to the US Open as Tennis Channel does each summer while the sport’s largest spectacle takes place. In addition to full slates of matches most days, highlight and analysis shows US Open Tonight and Breakfast at the Open bridge the late-night and early morning hours with the latest on-court activity. The tournament’s first day, Monday, Aug. 27, represents Tennis Channel’s typical US Open telecast schedule during the event. The network is live at 10:30 a.m. ET, with a new, half-hour lead-in show that breaks down everything that has happened to that point and what can be expected in the day ahead. Match coverage gets underway at 11 a.m. and runs until 7 p.m. ET. US Open Tonight airs from 11 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., followed by an immediate encore. At 6 a.m. Breakfast at the Open takes viewers to the start of the next day’s play at 10:30 a.m. During almost any 24-hour period, viewers will be able to turn to Tennis Channel and stay on top of the US Open.

ESPN and 2012 US Open; Nearly 100 Hours on ESPN2 HD and 400 Hours on ESPN3

According to a press release, ESPN’s multi-platform and worldwide coverage of tennis’ final Grand Slam event of the year, the US Open from New York, will begin Monday, August 27 and fans can again expect nearly 100 hours in high definition on ESPN2 HD, 400 hours on ESPN3’s multi-court offering plus coverage across ESPN’s platforms in the U.S. and around the world. During the first week of the tournament, ESPN2’s coverage will start at 1 p.m. each weekday and will continue nonstop for at least 10 hours through both the day and evening sessions. The latter, Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM, will begin at 7 p.m. and continue until 11 p.m. or when play is concluded, whichever is later. The second week, ESPN2 will have Primetime at the US Open presented by IBM at 7 p.m. on Labor Day Monday, September 3, followed by day-long windows Tuesday – Thursday. The telecast on Thursday, September 6, will include the Mixed Doubles Championship. On the final day of the tournament, Sunday, September 9, ESPN2 will televise live the women’s doubles championship at 12:30 p.m., and will review all the action at 9 p.m. with a special two-hour edition of SportsCenter at the US Open. All of ESPN2’s telecasts are also available online through ESPNnetworks.com, and on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app. Both are accessible to fans who receive their video service from an affiliated provider. While ESPN2 is on the air, SportsCenter will have the right to cut-in live for updates and key moments. SportsCenter’s daytime edition is on ESPN until 3 p.m. with later editions from 6-7 p.m. and 11 p.m.-midnight. On ESPNEWS, SportsCenter airs from 3-6 p.m. and 7-11 p.m. On Thursday, Sept. 6, the evening telecast at 7 p.m. will start with an exhibition doubles match played for charity – actor Adam Sandler will team with ESPN’s John McEnroe to play against actor Kevin James paired with tennis great Jim Courier. Sandler, McEnroe and James all were raised in Queens, New York, and Courier now lives in New York. Comedian Colin Quinn, a native of Brooklyn, New York, will serve as the chair umpire and no doubt will have to deal with some demonstrative on-court behavior. Broadcasters for this year’s US Open include Chris Evert, Cliff Drysdale, Darren Cahill, Mary Joe Fernandez, Chris Fowler, Brad Gilbert, LZ Granderson, John McEnroe, Patrick McEnroe, Chris McKendry, Tom Rinaldi, Pam Shriver, Mike Tirico and Hannah Storm.

US Open Chefs Prepare To Serve 700,000 Tennis Fans

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) and Levy Restaurants, the official restaurant partner of the US Open, announced today the official menu and expanded culinary offerings at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for the 2012 US Open, which runs from August 27-September 9. With a menu that reflects the international flair of the event, the US Open showcases flavors from around the world and utilizes ingredients from across the region. The world’s highest-attended annual sporting event, the US Open will attract more than 700,000 fans over the course of the 20-day event. Overseeing all culinary efforts is Levy Restaurants Regional Chef Jim Abbey, who will have a 250-person culinary staff to serve guests at 60 concession stands, five restaurants, 100 luxury suites and the Player’s Lounge. An event that draws tennis fans from all over the world, the US Open menu will continue to feature fresh, inventive cuisine–including creations from Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, celebrity chefs David Burke and Tony Mantuano. The USTA is locally sourcing more food for the Food Village, suites, stadiums and restaurants than ever before. Levy Restaurants has increased use of locally-sourced ingredients and this year 40 percent of all produce will be sourced from the region, including area farms, locally-sourced meat, seafood and poultry.

USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Gets Major Building Enhancements

On Monday, the USTA announced a series of major building enhancements that are designed to elevate the overall fan experience at the 2012 US Open. Projects include new buildings, completion of Court 17, increased seating at all field courts and new sponsored programs for visitors to this year’s tournament. This year’s innovative Opening Night ceremony will include an immersive video and light show in Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time and will feature a live performance of the song “Celebrate” by pop star Jordin Sparks. The hit song is from the movie “Sparkle,” in which Sparks stars alongside the late Whitney Houston, in Houston’s final film performance. Houston opened Arthur Ashe Stadium 15 years ago with a performance of “One Moment in Time” in front of a sold-out crowd and a parade of former US Open champions. The USTA has finished construction on its newest show court – Court 17 – for this year’s tournament. The court has full television broadcast capabilities, state-of-the-art video screens and includes the Chase Review electronic line calling system. With a capacity of 2,800, Court 17 is the fourth-largest spectator court at the US Open. The pavilion around Court 17 will include new attractions for fans, including Bar 17, a casual outdoor setting replete with TVs, and the return of the popular player photo wall, where fans can take pictures next to life-sized images of their favorite players.

Moët & Chandon Returns to US Open as Official Tournament Champagne for Second-Consecutive Year

According to a press release, Moët & Chandon returns to the US Open for the second consecutive year linking the world’s most beloved champagne with one of the world’s most prestigious and esteemed sporting competitions. Moët & Chandon, which has been the champagne of success and glamour since 1743, will once again create the ultimate tennis experience at the 2012 US Open by bringing the magic of champagne to one of the world’s most celebrated events, the US Open, held at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, from August 27 through September 9. “The partnership with the US Open marks a strong commitment to the world of tennis. There is no better place to showcase Moët & Chandon’s values of success, glamour and celebration of victory than at the world renowned US Open,” stated Ludovic du Plessis, Vice President Moët & Chandon US. “Moët & Chandon looks forward to celebrating with both the champions and the fans of the US Open,” he added. In addition to being the Official Champagne of the US Open, Moët & Chandon will present a number of luxurious and charitable programs at the 2012 US Open, including the introduction of the Moët & Chandon Terrace; “Cheers for Champions,” which will benefit USTA Serves Incorporated, which supports, monitors, and promotes programs that enhance the lives of at-risk individuals and others with disabilities through the integration of tennis and education; and a new, interactive consumer digital sweepstakes designed to offer a chance to win lessons with revered tennis pro Jim Courier. Moët & Chandon experiences at the 2012 US Open will include: Champagne and tennis enthusiasts alike will enjoy the seductive palate of Moët & Chandon Imperial at the Moët & Chandon Terrace, a lounge environment designed in the brand’s signature international style that envelops guests, shaded from the summer sun yet still in the heart of the excitement . The Moët Terrace is located across from the Patio Café. Moët & Chandon will enhance its charitable initiative, “Cheers for Champions”, begun in 2011. Celebrity spectators and tennis champions will have the opportunity to sign a Moët & Chandon jeroboam crystallized with the US Open logo while watching live matches from the exclusive Moët & Chandon suite. This one-of-a-kind bottle will be auctioned, with all proceeds benefitting USTA Serves. The Moët USA Facebook page will host The Moët & Chandon Ultimate Tennis Experience digital sweepstakes, in which consumers can enter for a chance to win private lessons with renowned tennis pro Jim Courier. Consumers are invited to compete in a virtual tennis match and are entered into the sweepstakes following two “perfect serves.” Sweepstakes entrants must be 21 years of age or older at time of entry. For more information, visit Moët & Chandon on Facebook (www.facebook.com/moet) or Twitter (@MoetUSA). “The US Open is where athleticism, entertainment and international star power converge, and we are thrilled to have Moët & Chandon be part of it,” said Lew Sherr, Chief Revenue Officer at the USTA. “We are equally excited that Moët & Chandon’s ‘Cheers for Champions’ charitable campaign will once again continue their connection with tennis beyond the US Open and help us transform lives through tennis in a meaningful and lasting way.”

Tennis Hall of Famer Chris Evert to be Honored at The Legends Ball in New York City

On Friday, September 7, the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum will gather hundreds of tennis enthusiasts and industry leaders at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City for The Legends Ball, an annual social event that celebrates tennis and honors some of the sport’s greatest champions and contributors, including the International Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2012 – Jennifer Capriati, Gustavo Kuerten, Manuel Orantes, Mike Davies, and Randy Snow. In addition to honoring the newest inductees, this year’s event will salute Hall of Famer Chris Evert, who will be awarded the Eugene L. Scott Award in recognition of her years of dedication to tennis, and the positive impact she has made on the sport. The award will be presented by fellow Hall of Famer and a past Scott Award recipient, Billie Jean King. “Gene had a remarkable ability to encourage people to really pause and think about what was important in the sport of tennis, and where the game was headed. I always admired his insight, and appreciated his dedication to the sport,” said Evert. “Today, I’m grateful for the platforms that I have to publicly observe developments in tennis and to speak out to help grow the game. It is truly an honor to be recognized with an award that pays tribute to such an effective communicator and important tennis industry leader as Gene.” Eugene L. Scott was a United States Davis Cup player and a tournament director, but perhaps his greatest impact on the tennis world was as a voice for the game. He founded Tennis Week magazine and wrote the most widely read and well-respected column about the sport, “Vantage Point” until his death in 2006. His writings about the sport were known for their poignancy and clarity, and he was dubbed “the conscience of the game.” Presented annually, the Eugene L. Scott Award honors an individual who embodies Scott’s commitment to communicating honestly and critically about the game, and who has had a significant impact on the tennis world. Previous recipients of the award have been: John McEnroe (2006); Andre Agassi (2007); Billie Jean King (2008); Arthur Ashe and his wife Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe (2009); Martina Navratilova (2010); and Dick Enberg (2011). “The International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Legends Ball is an opportunity to pay tribute to the outstanding contributors to the sport of tennis who have played an instrumental role in its growth, and naturally, Chris Evert is at the very top of that list. We are pleased to be able to say congratulations and thank you to Chris at this very special event, and are so pleased that Billie Jean will be able to help us do so,” said Christopher E. Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum. For tickets, sponsorship opportunities, or to learn more about The Legends Ball, call (401) 849-3990 or email mforts@tennisfame.com.

Attendance Records Broken at 2012 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati

The total attendance for the 2012 Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, which saw Roger Federer and Li Na capture singles titles, was 175,963, which eclipsed last year’s single-week tournament record of 174,268 for the 16 sessions. Tournament officials said that fans from 50 states purchased tickets this year, as well as many tennis enthusiasts from abroad. In addition, 10 of 16 sessions were sold out this year, compared to just seven sessions sold out in 2011. During quarterfinal day on Friday, August 17, 24,710 fans were at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, marking the largest ever single day attendance. “Here in Cincinnati fans are great. They enjoy their tennis. You do feel that as a player as well. Obviously looking forward to coming back next year again!” said Federer, who captured his Open Era record fifth Cincinnati title and first as a 31-year-old.

Tennis Legend Peter Fleming Named Associate Director of John McEnroe Tennis Academy

The doubles pairing of Peter Fleming and John McEnroe was one of the most successful partnerships in the history of professional tennis. Now, they are teaming up again, as Fleming recently accepted the position as Associate Academy Director of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. McEnroe and Fleming will officially kick off this re-constituting of their partnership with a kids clinic at the new Sportime Lake Isle in Eastchester, New York on Sunday August 26th at Noon. Lake Isle will be one of two new annexes for the JMTA, with the other being in Bethpage, New York. Fleming, once the No. 1 doubles and No. 8 singles player in the world, will be based out of the JMTA’s flagship Randall’s Island and Lake Isle locations. He will maintain a presence at both clubs from September through May. “Peter and I have known each other since the early 1970s,” said McEnroe, “and probably no one on the planet knows better than Peter about my approach to the game – both on and off court – and how I would like to see the game played, kids train, and parents to act. It’s a perfect fit.” “I am very excited to be able to work formally again with John and the staff at JMTA,” Fleming said. “I have talked with John for years about his dream of exposing the game to a new generation of kids and using a system he believes in to build a new group of dedicated players and lifelong fans of the game, and anything I can do to help him I will.” In addition to his new duties at the JMTA, which will focus on working with top players privately and in group sessions, Fleming will continue as a standout commentator for Sky TV.

Bryan Brothers and USTA Serves Joining Forces with Esurance to Benefit At-Risk Youth

Esurance, the official car insurance sponsor of the US Open, is teaming up with the 2012 Olympic champion Bryan Brothers and USTA Serves to support two tennis programs benefiting at-risk youth. Facebook users can go to Esurance’s Facebook page at www.esurance.com/facebook to vote for one of the two “game-changing” programs. Esurance will donate $50,000 to USTA Serves to be distributed to each of the programs based on the percentage of votes received. Voters can also enter a sweepstakes to win a trip for two to the men’s singles final of the 2013 US Open. Additionally, visitors to the Facebook page will have access to an exclusive video of the Bryans, as well as more information about USTA Serves and the two participating tennis programs– East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring and the Kids and Police Tennis Association. “USTA Serves is excited to partner with Esurance to support East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring and Kids and Police Tennis Association. Both programs are game changers for the hundreds of kids benefitting from the powerful combination of tennis and education. Now they’ll get the extra attention, tutoring and computer support they need to succeed in school and throughout their lives,” said Deborah Larkin, Executive Director USTA Serves. USTA Serves is a not-for-profit entity dedicated to enhancing the lives of at-risk children and individuals with disabilities through the integration of tennis and education. People from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds are beneficiaries of USTA Serves, which supports organizations that use tennis as a vehicle to help at-risk children finish high school and qualify for college scholarships. “USTA Serves is a great organization that’s making a difference in the lives of young people around the country,” said Esurance CEO Gary Tolman. “Giving back to the community is a cornerstone of Esurance’s philosophy, and our work with USTA Serves and the Bryan Brothers continues our tradition of being a long-time supporter of charity in tennis.” East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring (EPATT) has made a difference for more than 1,500 at-risk students over the past 25 years. Using a unique mix of academic tutoring and tennis instruction, EPATT gives students the strong academic, athletic, and social skills they need to become successful adults in their community. Through EPATT, neighbors, teachers, coaches, and mentors are making a lasting impact on kids in need. The Kids and Police Tennis Association (KAPTA) provides year-round, after-school tennis, health, and education programs to 500 kids in low-income areas. KAPTA is a joint effort between the Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Department and the Police Athletic League with the goal of teaching young people to be accountable, responsible, independent, and critical thinkers. **No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. For official sweepstakes rules go to http://esurancegamechanger.thesocialtab.net/Home/Rules

World TeamTennis Finals Weekend presented by GEICO set for September 14-16 in Charleston

The World TeamTennis Finals Weekend presented by GEICO is set to take place from September 14-16 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C. Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, John McEnroe and Kevin Anderson lead a star-studded field of top players expected to battle it out for their teams in hopes of winning the World TeamTennis Championship. Ticket specials for the WTT Finals Weekend are available through the Family Circle Tennis Center box office. Fans who purchase Terrace Level tickets for Friday and Saturday through the FCTC Box Office will receive a free ticket for Sunday’s Championship Final. A full weekend Terrace Level pass is $77.00. Full weekend Box Seat passes are available for $160.50. Single session tickets are $38.50 for Terrace Level and $53.50 for Box Seats. All fees are included in ticket prices. For tickets, travel packages or more information, please contact the Box Office at (800) 677-2293 or visit www.familycirclecup.com.

Andy Murray Commits to 2013 Brisbane International

Olympic Gold Medalist Andy Murray will return to the Brisbane International in Queensland in January 2013 to defend his title, tournament officials announced on Tuesday. The current World No. 4 is the first player to commit to the event. “I really enjoyed playing the Brisbane International for the first time this January, and claiming the title was great preparation leading into the Australian Open,” said Murray. “Brisbane attracts a tough draw with a lot of top players … obviously I want to play as many matches as possible, and if I can, win. Winning always gives you extra confidence and is the perfect start leading into the first Grand Slam of the year.”

Norwegian Tennis Federation Partners with Professional Tennis Registry

Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) announced a Partnership Agreement with the Norwegian Tennis Federation. During Wimbledon, representatives of PTR and the Norwegian Tennis Federation (NTF) met to sign a partnership agreement. This inaugural two year agreement was enthusiastically received by both organizations. As part of the agreement, PTR will provide educational services with all full time tennis coaches in Norway becoming members of PTR. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “The ability to be able to provide quality education to our full time coaches is essential,” said Erik Solberg, NTF Vice President. “At the Norwegian Tennis Federation, we see our partnership with PTR as another indication of our resolve to improving tennis in Norway.” One of goals of PTR’s recently elected President, Jorge Andrew, is to expand PTR’s role internationally. Andrew commented, “PTR looks forward to providing educational content and events for the tennis coaches in Norway. We applaud the Norwegian Tennis Federation for their approach to improving tennis in Norway.” One of the highlights of the partnership is a ‘Top of the World’ Tennis Symposium that will be held in Norway’s northernmost city of Tromso. PTR CEO, Dan Santorum, stated, “The leadership of the Norwegian Tennis Federation is dedicated to providing their tennis coaches with the educational tools to increase tennis participation. PTR is excited to work with the tennis federation to co-present a world class Symposium in Norway.” One of the goals of the Norwegian Tennis Federation is to increase the participation in tennis, which will increase the chances of developing future tennis champions in Norway. Oivind Sorvald, Director of Sports for the federation, said, “PTR is a world class organization. Having been a long time member, I know the quality that PTR will bring to Norwegian Tennis.” PTR is the Official Training Partner for Special Olympics Tennis. PTR is the largest global organization of tennis teaching professionals with more than 14,000 members in 117 countries. It has the greatest percentage of multicultural and women members of any such organization. PTR is dedicated to educating, certifying and servicing tennis teachers and coaches around the world in order to grow the game.

Rafael Nadal easily wins Monte Carlo for eighth straight year — Mondays with Bob Greene

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STARS

Rafael Nadal beat Novak Djokovic 6-3 6-1 to win the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters in Monte Carlo, Monaco

Sam Querrey beat Paolo Lorenzi 6-1 6-7 (3) 6-3 to win the Sarasota Open in Sarasota, Florida, USA

FED CUP

World Group Semifinals

Serbia beat Russia 3-2 at Moscow, Russia
Czech Republic beat Italy 4-1 at Ostrava, Czech Republic

World Group Playoffs

United States beat Ukraine 5-0 at Kharkiv, Ukraine
Japan beat Belgium 4-1 at Tokyo, Japan
Slovak Republic beat Spain 3-2 at Marbella, Spain
Australia beat Germany 3-2 at Stuttgart, Germany

World Group II Playoffs

France beat Slovenia 5-0 at Besançon, France
Switzerland beat Belarus 4-1 at Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland
Sweden beat Great Britain 4-1 at Borås, Sweden
Argentina beat China 4-1 at Buenos Aires, Argentina

Group II
Round-Robin

Europe/Africa at Cairo, Egypt: Turkey and Georgia promoted to Europe/Africa Zone Group I in 2013; Norway and Denmark relegated to Group III

Americas at Guadalajara, Mexico: Chile and Mexico promoted to Americas Zone Group I in 2013

Group III
Round-Robin

Europe/Africa at Cairo, Egypt: Lithuania and Tunisia promoted to Europe/Africa Zone Group II in 2013

DAVIS CUP

Asia/Oceania Zone Group IV at Doha, Qatar: United Arab Emirates and Cambodia promoted to Asia/Oceania Zone Group III in 2013

SAYING

“To start the clay-court season winning here is an amazing feeling. This tournament is very special for me.” – Rafael Nadal, after winning at Monte Carlo for the eighth straight year.

“It’s a historic moment for us. I cannot even believe that we are in the final. We came a long way and I’m very happy we were able to win this match.” – Jelena Jankovic, after leading Serbia into its first Fed Cup final.

“It’s very important to break that situation. It’s important to win a tournament another time. Especially (this) tournament. (Breaking) that situation (and) winning a Masters 1000, one of my favorites, (makes) everything perfect today.” – Rafael Nadal, about snapping a seven-match final losing streak to Novak Djokovic.

“It’s been a tough week, not just for me but for everybody in my family. We’re going through this together. In the end, I played the final and I’m really happy for that.” – Novak Djokovic, who just hours before he played his third-round match learned of his grandfather’s death.

“It was like a bullfight. She knocked me down and then I knocked her down.” – Tamaryn Hendler of Belgium, after losing her opening singles match to Japanese veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm 6-1 6-4.

“It has been such a long journey and we’ve worked so hard. We felt like the dark horses coming into this event – but very prepared dark horses. All that work has really paid off and it means so much to move on to the Group III stage. Imagine what we have achieved in our first season with less than 30 tennis courts in the whole of Cambodia. The complex in Doha has 27 courts. That puts this amazing feat in perspective. It is such an inspiration for all the tennis playing kids back home.” – Tep Rithivit, captain of Cambodia’s victorious Davis Cup team.

“It’s been a great couple weeks in Monaco with the Davis Cup and now the Monte Carlo Masters 1000 event. It’s always a pleasure to see Prince Albert II and the beautiful scenery. We couldn’t ask for a better place to win our 20th Masters 1000 title.” – Mike Bryan, after he and brother Bob won the Monte Carlo doubles.

“Usually you look through the rankings to see who’s playing well, and you look at some of the good match-ups, as well as who’s healthy, and put together the best team possible for that tie.” – Mary Joe Fernandez, when asked about the criteria she used in choosing the United States Fed Cup team.

“I love being able to participate in the Olympics. It’s so cool. You get to play for your country. You get to see the athletes from other sports. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I’m trying to get my third-in-a-lifetime experience.” – Serena Williams, when asked about playing the London Olympics this summer.

“Hopefully both Serena and Venus will be ready to go. I have talked to them many times about Fed Cup and playing. They enjoy it. If it works and if they are healthy I expect them to be here.” – Mary Joe Fernandez, on the possibility of sisters Venus and Serena Williams playing on the same Fed Cup team again.

“I think it is more huge for the media for me to win singles (at the Olympics). For me, any medal is great. If I win singles, it would be awesome. If I win doubles, it would be awesome, or if I win mixed.” – Serena Williams, on playing in the Olympics.

STREAK CONTINUES

Rafael Nadal wins Monte Carlo for eighth straight year (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Rafael Nadal put a punctuation point on his latest title. The Spaniard won the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters for the eighth consecutive year, and this time with a thorough thrashing of top-ranked Novak Djokovic. The win ended a run of seven straight losses to her Serbian rival in title matches. The victory ran Nadal’s winning streak to 42 in a row at Monte Carlo and was his first tournament title since the 2011 French Open. “I always loved this tournament since I was a kid,” Nadal said after winning his 47th career title. “One of my dreams was to play here. It’s a historic tournament (where) you see all your idols when you are a kid playing here.” Nadal now leads his head-to-head series with Djokovic 17-14, but it was his first win over the Serb since the 2010 ATP Finals in London. Djokovic had beaten Nadal in three consecutive Grand Slam finals.

SERVING A WIN

Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova found her winning ways just in time to power the Czech Republic into the Fed Cup final where it will be defending its title. Kvitova beat Francesca Schiavone 6-4 7-6 (1) in the reverse singles to give the Czechs an insurmountable 3-0 lead over Italy. “It was important for me to win; it’s a confidence booster,” said Kvitova, who has played only three matches – and lost two – on the WTA Tour since helping the Czech Republic win its first-round Fed Cup tie in February. The defending champion Czechs will take on Serbia in November’s final. “I really wanted to be in the final again,” Kvitova said. “It’s unbelievable. It was an unbelievable feeling (to win).” Sara Errani defeated Andrea Hlavackova to give Italy a point before Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka took the doubles to make the final score 4-1. Italy’s Flavia Pennetta retired from the doubles at 5-6 because of a wrist injury.

SUCCESSFUL SERBIA

Jelena Jankovic won both of her singles matches to lead Serbia into the Fed Cup final for the first time. After Ana Ivanovic won the opening reverse singles to give Serbia a 2-1 lead, Jankovic clinched the tie with a6-1 6-4 victory over Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova. Trailing 3-0 in the second set, Jankovic won five consecutive games and closed out the victory on her first match point. Jankovic had won the first point for Serbia, defeating Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova before Kuznetsova stopped Ivanovic in the second match on opening day. In the reverse singles, Ivanovic beat Pavlyuchenkova 3-6 6-0 6-3, winning 10 straight games after losing the first set to take a 4-0 lead in the third. Serbia will face defending champion Czech Republic in the final in November. It was Serbia’s first Fed Cup victory over Russia in four meetings.

SIGNATURE MOVE

Cambodia wasn’t just satisfied with making its Davis Cup debut. Playing at The Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Complex in Doha, Qatar, the Cambodian team of Kenny Bun, Pannhara Man, Samneang Long, Vetu Mam and captain Tep Rithivit won promotion from the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Asia/Oceania Zone Group IV to Zone Group III in 2013 by beating Turkmenistan 3-0. Also earning promotion to Group III next year was the United Arab Emirates, who defeated Qatar 2-1. The largest annual international team competition in sport, Davis Cup by BNP Paribas had 123 nations competing in 2012.

STYLISTIC

After replacing Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal as the number one-ranked tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic took over some of their honors also. The Serb has been named one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People in the World. Djokovic was one of six athletes named to the list, joining Jeremy Lin, Lionel Messi, Oscar Pistorious, Tim Tebow and Yani Tseng. “While he yukked it up, he also upped his training regimen and refined his exquisite baseline shot-making,” Bill Saporito, Time’s sports editor, said of Djokovic. “No one has a more lethal backhand down the line. He got mentally tougher, too.” It marks the fifth time in six years that an ATP World Tour player has been selected for the Time 10. Federer was on the list in 2007 and 2010, while Nadal was named in 2009 and 2011.

STILL SIDELINED

The clay-court season is now out for Kim Clijsters. The Belgian is skipping the French Open and the entire clay-court season as she has been recovering much slower than expected from a hip muscle team suffered during the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Florida, in March. “My current physical condition does not allow me to be ready for Roland Garros,” said Clijsters, who will resume training in about three weeks and hopefully be ready for the grass courts. She is entered into the Rosmalen, Netherlands, grass court tournament in mid June, one week before Wimbledon. She also hopes to play the Olympic tennis event, which will be held at Wimbledon.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS

Serena Williams had no problems winning both of her Fed Cup singles matches for the United States against Ukraine, dropping just eight games and never more than three games in any set. But it wasn’t as smooth as it looked. In both matches, Williams was broken while serving for the match. And the sixth game of the first set against Lesia Tsurenko lasted 22 points as Williams served three aces, three double faults and saved two break points. “I felt I won that game and I kept giving it away,” Williams said. “I kept hitting double faults. That game was really good for me to get through, for sure.” With Williams leading the way, the Americans swept Ukraine 5-0 with Christina McHale capturing both of her singles matches and Liezel Huber and Sloane Stephens winning the doubles.

SUFFERS INJURY

Julien Benneteau of France fractured his right elbow and sprained his right ankle when he fell in his opening set against third-seeded Andy Murray at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters. A former French Open quarterfinalist, Benneteau trailed 6-5 when he slipped and rolled his ankle while scampering to retrieve a shot from the baseline. He hurt his wrist while trying to break his fall. “When he went down, he was making quite a lot of noise,” Murray said. After being treated extensively, Benneteau continued to play, but only briefly before retiring from the third-round match.

SUMMER OLYMPICS

Stephanie Vogt of Liechtenstein and Veronica Cepede Royg of Paraguay have clinched spots in the 2012 Olympic tennis event, which will be held July 28 through August 5 at Wimbledon. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) confirmed the two players selected by the Tripartite Commission from nations with small Olympic teams. The 22-year-old Vogt will become the first player from Liechtenstein to compete in an Olympic tennis event. The 20-year-old Royg will become the first player from Paraguay to compete in Olympic tennis since Rossana de los Rios in 2000. There will be 56 direct entries into the singles, with eight ITF places in the men’s singles and six ITF places and two Tripartite Commission Invitation places in the women’s singles. There will be 24 direct acceptances and eight ITF places in the men’s and women’s doubles, while there will be 12 direct acceptances and four ITF places in the mixed doubles. A maximum of six men and six women will be allowed per country, with a maximum of four singles players, two doubles teams and two mixed doubles teams. Entries for mixed doubles will be taken from those players already competing in singles or doubles.

SPECIAL PLACE

Tokyo’s Ariake Coliseum is a special place for veteran Kimiko Date-Krumm. The 41-year-old beat Belgium’s Tamaryn Hendler to help lead Japan to a 4-1 victory in a Fed Cup World Group playoff. Sixteen years ago, the Japanese right-hander enjoyed perhaps the finest triumph of her career. Then 25 years old and known as Kimiko Date, she beat Steffi Graf in a 12-10 third-set marathon that would be one of the greatest in the history of Japanese tennis. The reverse singles win leveled the tie at 2-2 before Japan won the doubles to move into the World Group semifinals for the first and only time. Following the Fed Cup loss, Graf would go on to win Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open titles. It was Date’s final year before a nearly 12-year retirement from the sport. In 2008, Date and Graf played an exhibition match at Ariake to commemorate the 12th anniversary of their battle. After Date won 6-2 6-3, Graf said she should consider returning to the WTA Tour. Three weeks later, at the age of 37, Date-Krumm announced she would play again.

SECOND TITLE OF YEAR

Twins Bob and Mike Bryan won their third Monte Carlo Rolex Masters doubles title, beating the second-seeded team of Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor. It was the 20th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 team crown for the Americans. “It feels nice to win again in Monte Carlo, especially against two legends, Danny and Max,” said Boy Bryan. “They’ve been playing great the last 15 months and hopefully we’ll all get to play in many more big matches.” The top-ranked Bryans did not lose a set in winning their second tournament title of the year. It was their 77th career title.

STANDING IN LINE

American men are standing in line for a chance to play mixed doubles with Serena Williams at the London Olympic Games. John Isner, America’s highest-ranked men’s singles player, is the latest to join the Serena Sweepstakes. “I may be the odd man out,” Isner said. “But I’m pretty good friends with Serena. Might need to bribe her, maybe send a gift in the mail to get her to play with me.” Other candidates to team with Serena are Andy Roddick and the Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, as mixed doubles has been added to this year’s Olympic program. “A girl loves to have choices,” Serena said earlier. “Obviously the Bryans are like the world’s best doubles players. Andy and I are super, super close. Personally I love John. You’re not going to break the guy. It’s an automatic I-don’t-know-how-many games. I think it’s so hard to choose. I don’t know if you just throw everyone’s name in a hat and figure out what happens next. ‘Regardless, we want to do really well and take home a medal for the country. That’s what it’s all about.”

SIGNS WITH ESPN

John McEnroe will add Wimbledon to his ESPN announcing duties this summer. The seven-time Grand Slam tournament champion has worked the US Open for ESPN since 2009. As a player, McEnroe won 77 singles titles, including four US Open titles and three at Wimbledon. He also won 10 additional major championships in doubles or mixed doubles. While known for his brash on-court behavior, McEnroe has earned a reputation for insightful and outspoken commentary on television. “His rare combination of insight, candor and personality behind the microphone mirrors the multi-talented player he was on the court,” John Wildhack, ESPN executive vice president, production, said in announcing the multi-year contract.

STARS ON PARADE

Tennis Hall of Famers Chris Evert and Mats Wilander will join Todd Martin and others on May 6 for an afternoon of tennis to raise money for “Match for a Cure.” The vent will be held at the Omni Amelia Island Plantation in Amelia Island, Florida, USA. The headline event is an “Ultimate Miracle Match” pitting Martin against Bill Przybysz, the Miracle Match Foundation founder who is a leukemia survivor and tennis professional.

SAD NEWS

Although he reached the final of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, it was not a good week for Novak Djokovic. Just hours before his third round match against Alexandr Dolgopolov, Djokovic learned of the death of grandfather. When he completed the rain-interrupted victory over his Ukrainian foe, Djokovic crouched down, his hands on his knees. He then appeared to wipe away tears with his forearm before pointing with both hands to the sky. Dolgopolov stood at the net, applauding. Djokovic skipped the post-match news conference, with a spokesperson for the ATP World Tour saying the Serb “just felt totally exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally.” Following the final, where he lost to Rafael Nadal, Djokovic said he felt emotionally drained. “I definitely don’t want to take away anything from Rafa’s win. He was a better player,” Djokovic said. “But it’s a face that I just didn’t have any emotional energy left in me.” At the post-match interview, Djokovic said he had not decided what his schedule will be over the next few days. “I obviously have to go to visit my grandfather’s grave and see, because I wasn’t there (at the) funeral yesterday (Saturday),” he said. “So I’ll be there.”

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Monte Carlo: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan beat Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor 6-2 6-3

Sarasota: Johan Brunstrom and Izak Van Der Merwe beat Martin Emmrich and Andreas Siljestrom 6-4 6-1

SURFING

Barcelona: www.barcelonaopenbancsabadell.com

Bucharest: http://brd-nastase-tiriac-trophy.ro/2012/

Stuttgart: www.porsche-tennis.de

Kaohsiung: www.oectennis.com/

Fès: www.frmt.ma

Munich: www.bmwopen.de/

Belgrade: www.serbiaopen.rs/

Estoril: www.estorilopen.net

Budapest: www.budapestgrandprix.hu

Medellín: www.tennissegurosbolivar.com

Davis Cup: www.daviscup.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

MEN

$2,179,536 Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, Barcelona, Spain, clay
$523,619 BRD Nastase Tiriac Trophy, Bucharest, Romania, clay
$125,000 OEC International Tennis Challenge, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, hard

WOMEN

$740,000 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart, Germany, clay
$220,000 Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Fès, Morocco, clay

DAVIS CUP

Asia/Oceania Group III at Tehran, Iran, clay (round-robin, eight nations in two pools): Bangladesh, Iran, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Oman, Syria, Vietnam

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

MEN

$523,619 BMW Open, Munich, Germany, clay
$523,619 Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal, clay
$484,000 Serbia Open, Belgrade, Serbia, clay
$125,000 Tunis Open, Tunis, Tunisia, clay

WOMEN

$220,000 Budapest Grand Prix, Budapest, Hungary, clay
$220,000 Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal, clay

SENIOR

Seguros Bolivar Tennis Champions, Medellín, Colombia, hard

DAVIS CUP

Europe Zone Group III at Sofia, Bulgaria, clay (round-robin, 13 nations in four pools): Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iceland, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, San Marino

United States to take on France and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Davis Cup Battle this weekend on Tennis Channel

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Captain Jim Courier Leads John Isner, Ryan Harrison, and Brothers Bob and Mike Bryan into Quarterfinal Competition Against France

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and John Isner ready for Davis Cup battle (Photo credit should read SEBASTIEN NOGIER/AFP/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA April 5, 2012-Tennis Channel will provide exclusive coverage of the U.S. Davis Cup team’s quarterfinal competition against France in Monaco, this weekend, with live and same-day, “Instant Encore” replays Friday through Sunday. John Isner, World No. 11, leads a U.S. team of tennis up-and-comer Ryan Harrison and top-ranked doubles brothers Bob and Mike Bryan against France’s World No. 6, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The French will face the Americans for the first time since its 2008 upset at the same stage in the competition.

The meeting will consist of two singles matches on Friday, April 6, at 6 a.m. ET, followed by the doubles match Saturday, April 7, at 8 a.m. Tennis Channel’s coverage concludes with the remaining singles play Sunday, April 8, at 5 a.m. Each of the five matches is worth one point, with the team that wins at least three points advancing to the semifinals to face either Spain or Austria September 14-16. Each afternoon Tennis Channel will offer an encore presentation of the day’s Davis Cup action.

Coverage from Monte Carlo Country Club in in Monacois as follows (all time ET):

Friday, April 6:

6 a.m. – Live Singles #1

9 a.m. – Live Singles #2

{12 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1}

{3 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2}

{7 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1}

{10 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2}

 

Saturday, April 7:

8 a.m. – Live Doubles

{4 p.m. – Instant Encore Doubles}

{12 a.m. – Instant Encore Doubles}

 

Sunday, April 8:

5 a.m. – Live Singles #1

8 a.m. – Live Singles #2 

{12 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1}

{3 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2}

{8 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1}

{11 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2}

The United States and France have one of the oldest Davis Cup rivalries, first playing in 1905. The two nations have met 15 times in Davis Cup play, with the United States holding a 8-7 advantage. The most recent meeting was at the same stage of play in 2008 when the United States upset the French team 4-1 in Winston-Salem, N.C. France’s only home loss to the United States was in the 1982 final. The United States enters this weekend’s match after defeating Switzerland 5-0 in Fribourg, Switzerland. The Americans are looking to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2008. The United States leads all nations with 23 Davis Cup titles, the most recent in 2007.

Leading the U.S. team is Captain Jim Courier, who as a player helped the American squad win the Davis Cup in 1992 and 1995. John Isner enters this weekend’s competition after an impressive win over World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., before falling to Roger Federer. Teenager Ryan Harrison came one step closer to winning his first pro title when he advanced to the semifinals at the SAP Open in San Jose before losing to eventual champion Milos Raonic. The world’s top-ranked doubles team, twin brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, continue to be the world’s most dominant pair, capturing their eleventh Grand Slam doubles title at Wimbledon last year.

France is bidding to reach its third-consecutive semifinal and win its tenth Davis Cup crown. The French team enters this weekend’s matchup after a 4-1 victory over Canada in Vancouver. France’s team is captained by Guy Forget and features World No. 6 Tsonga, Gilles Simon, Julien Benneteau and Michael Llodra.

Tennis Channel (www.tennischannel.com) is the only 24-hour, television-based multimedia destination dedicated to both the professional sport and tennis lifestyle. A hybrid of comprehensive sports, health, fitness, pop culture, entertainment, lifestyle and travel programming, the network is home to every aspect of the wide-ranging, worldwide tennis community. It also has the most concentrated single-sport coverage in television, with telecast rights to the US Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros (French Open), Australian Open, Olympus US Open Series, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events, top-tier WTA competitions, Davis Cup and Fed Cup by BNP Paribas, and Hyundai Hopman Cup. Tennis Channel is carried by nine of the top 10 video providers.

Kei Nishikori Signs Brand Ambassador Deal with TAG Heuer: This Week in Tennis Business with Justin Cohen

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Kei Nishikori

Nishikori signs brand ambassador deal with TAG Heuer

World No. 18 and rising Japanese star Kei Nishikori has signed a brand ambassador deal with TAG Heuer, the prestigious Swiss watch brand established in 1860. The former Junior French Open Doubles champion announced his decision to become a part of the TAG Heuer family during a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday. Nishikori joins Maria Sharapova, Leonardo DiCaprio and Leonard Hamilton as ambassadors to the organization. Other current sponsors of Nishikori are Wilson, adidas (shoes only), CupNoodle, Weider, UniQlo, WOWOW and EA Sports. Nishikori began his 2012 season by reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals, the furthest round a Japanese male player has ever reached in a Grand Slam event since 1968.

World TeamTennis Marquee Player Draft includes six current or former world No. 1s from U.S.

During Tuesday’s World TeamTennis Marquee Player Draft, six current or former world No. 1s from the United States were selected including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Bob and Mike Bryan, Lindsay Davenport and John McEnroe. Other household names selected in the draft included Mardy Fish, Martina Hingis, James Blake, Mark Philippoussis and John Isner. Following the birth of her third child in January, Davenport will return to the court and play for the Orange County Breakers. “I am excited to be back in Orange County and it will be great for my kids to get to see me play,” said Davenport. “I have always loved playing on a team so I am looking forward to getting back on the court.” The Washington Kastles will try to complete another undefeated championship season like last year with the help of both Williams’ sisters. The Philadelphia Freedoms selected American fan-favorite Blake and former world No. 8 Philippoussis. This summer marks Blake’s seventh WTT season and first with the Freedoms. The Boston Lobsters are bringing back one of the best players in the world in Isner, who just defeated 16-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer in four sets in Davis Cup last weekend in Switzerland. McEnroe and Hingis will once again join forces as part of the New York Sportimes. The Sacramento Capitals will build their team around Fish. The WTT Pro League presented by GEICO, which was co-founded by Billie Jean King, is a professional sports league featuring three generations of tennis stars playing in a coed team format.  The 2012 WTT Pro League begins July 9 and runs through July 29. The top two teams from both the Western and Eastern Conference advance to the WTT Finals Weekend presented by GEICO from September 14-16, at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, S.C.

Jim Curley steps down as US Open Tournament Director

After more than 10 years on the job, the USTA announced that Jim Curley is stepping down as the Chief Professional Tournaments Officer and US Open Tournament Director. Deputy Tournament Director David Brewer, a 14-year USTA employee, will take over as the new US Open Tournament Director and also oversee the USTA’s professional tennis operations. “It has been a privilege to lead the USTA’s efforts in professional tennis,” said Curley. “My decision to step down after more than 10 years was a difficult one, but I believe it is time for a change.” Brewer, currently the Managing Director, Professional Operations, joined the USTA in 1997. In addition to his US Open Tournament Director obligations, his responsibilities will include oversight of the US Open Series, all US Team events including Davis Cup, Fed Cup and the Olympics, USTA Pro Circuit competition and all aspects of the USTA’s professional tennis division. Brewer will report to Gordon Smith, USTA COO and Executive Director. “Jim is an exemplary professional who has helped to elevate the US Open during his decade-long stewardship of the event,” said Jon Vegosen, USTA Chairman of the Board and President. “We are disappointed in his decision to step down, but are confident that David will continue to build on Jim’s legacy of growth and innovation.”

USTA Player Development names five additional programs as USTA Certified Regional Training Centers

According to a press release, the United States Tennis Association announced that five junior development programs in four states have been named USTA Certified Regional Training Centers as part of its continuing effort to develop the next generation of world-class American players. The five programs will service the junior players in four USTA sections across the country. The five new USTA Certified Regional Training Centers include The Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego and the Northwest High Performance Tennis program in Seattle. These programs are the first Certified Regional Training Centers named in the USTA Southern California and USTA Pacific Northwest sections, respectively. The 4 Star Tennis Academy in Fairfax, Va., will join the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, Md. The Rochester Athletic Club in Rochester, Minn., and the Life Time Fitness Center in Lakeville, a suburb of Minneapolis/St. Paul will comprise a USTA Certified Regional Training Center network for the USTA Northern section. In addition to continuing their existing programs, the USTA Certified Regional Training Centers will host USTA Player Development camps for players, ages 8-12, in their respective regions.  These players will be selected in conjunction with the USTA national coaching staff and their respective USTA Section Coaching Commission.  The Centers will also help identify talent in players as young as 6 years old, run programs using the 10 and Under Tennis* and host 10 and Under Tennis tournaments for players 8 and under and 10 and under. “Now in its fourth year, the Certified Regional Training Center initiative continues to expand and flourish as we at USTA Player Development work collaboratively with more programs and coaches,” said Patrick McEnroe, General Manager, USTA Player Development.  “We are happy that we are continuing to see positive results from some of the young players who train at these USTA Certified Regional Training Centers, and these new programs will help us continue to expand our outreach as we continue to try and develop the next wave of world-class American players.”

International Tennis Federation and Wilson renew deal for five-years

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) renewed its Davis Cup and Fed Cup sponsorship deal with Wilson Racquet Sports for five-years through 2017. Under the new arrangement, Wilson will remain as the official tennis ball of Davis Cup and Fed Cup, starting in 2013. Wilson will also maintain its investment in grassroots level tennis as the official ball of the ITF’s under 14 and under 16 level competitions. “Wilson remains an outstanding partner for the ITF, helping in our efforts to develop and promote the game. In particular the company has been a long and loyal sponsor of our premier team competitions, and we are delighted to have its continued support for many years to come,” said Francesco Ricci Bitti, ITF President. “The Davis Cup and Fed Cup are iconic tennis institutions, important to the heritage of the sport and to our brand,” said Jon Muir, General Manager for Wilson Racquet Sports. “These events help to drive the local participation efforts in many countries around the world, and our brand and business efforts have aligned to support this as well. We are pleased to continue this strong partnership and look forward to bringing the energy of the game to all generations of tennis fans.”

112th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament to be promoted by top Sports PR/Marketing firm

Top sports public relations and marketing firm Brener Zwikel & Associates will play a major role in the largest amateur tennis tournament in the United States. The California-based firm, which also has an office in New York City, will be in charge of promoting the 112th Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament, April 25-29. The Ojai, a Southern California tennis tradition since 1896, is the oldest amateur tournament played at the same location in the United States. “We are very pleased to have the assistance and public relations expertise of Brener Zwikel & Associates working with The Ojai and our 112th-annual event this April,” said Ojai Valley Tennis Club President Vivian Perrett. “We look forward to working with BZA to gain heightened awareness about The Ojai throughout the tennis world via print, electronic and social interactive media, and promotions. With 27 different events and more than 1,500 players, we have a great deal of tennis to offer at more than 30 sites throughout Ventura County, including private Ojai courts.” New this year will be the Pac-12 Championships being played in a team format, which is different from the original 32-player individual draw. All matches in 2012 will take place in downtown Ojai at the Libbey Park courts. Also new at this year’s event will be the prize money boost. An all-time high of $20,000 will be awarded to the men’s and women’s Open divisions in singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Additionally, The Ojai will have a major social media presence, having launched official Facebook and Twitter pages. Fans can follow the action from all 27 divisions by visiting the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/theojaitennistournament or following @TheOjai on Twitter. A long list of legendary players have competed in The Ojai in the past including Bill Tilden, Tony Trabert, Bobby Riggs, Jack Kramer, Maureen Connolly, Arthur Ashe, Billie Jean King, Pancho Gonzales, Stan Smith, Jimmy Connors, Michael Chang,  Lindsay Davenport, Pete Sampras, Taylor Dent and the Bryan Brothers. A total of 85 players who have competed in the prestigious Ventura County tournament have gone on to win a Grand Slam tournament.

Murray returning to The Queen’s Club in June to defend title

World No. 4 and defending champion Andy Murray announced that he will return this summer to the AEGON Championships at The Queen’s Club in search of a third title on the famed grass courts in London. This year’s tournament will be played from June 11-17. “I’m excited to be going back to The Queen’s Club,” said Murray. “It’s a great tournament and the grass courts are as good as anywhere in the world, so it’s the perfect preparation for Wimbledon. There’s always a great atmosphere and having won the trophy twice previously, I have nothing but good memories. They also have one of the biggest trophies on the tennis circuit, and most of the Wimbledon champions are on it, so you know it’s a big deal. I’d love to win it again this year.” The last British player to win three titles at The Queen’s Club was FG Lowe, who won his third and final singles title in 1925.

Isner, Fish, Bryan Brothers commit to US Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston

Tournament officials at the US Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston announced that Americans John Isner, Mardy Fish and Bob and Mike Bryan will compete in the event to be held from April 9-15 at the River Oaks Country Club. Isner is currently ranked at a career high No. 14. The former University of Georgia four-time All-American reached the doubles final in Houston last year with fellow American Sam Querrey. Fish, who is currently ranked No. 8, won the singles title at River Oaks in 2006. The Bryan Brothers will return to Texas aiming for a fifth doubles crown.

Venus Williams enters Family Circle Cup

Former world No. 1 Venus Williams has entered the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, which will be played from March 31-April 8. The 31-year-old Williams was diagnosed last year with Sjogren’s syndrome, an autoimmune disease. The South Florida resident recently teamed with Liezel Huber in the United States Fed Cup dead-rubber doubles victory against Belarus.

New book “TITANIC: THE TENNIS STORY” tells incredible story of survival and triumph

Karl Behr was one of the best tennis players in the United States – a member of the 1907 U.S. Davis Cup team and a Wimbledon doubles finalist that year. In 1912, he was madly in love with Helen Newsom. However, Newsom’s mother, Sally Beckwith, did not approve of their relationship and whisked her daughter away on a European adventure in an attempt to break up the couple. Behr concocted a European business trip to chase after the love of his life. Both had return trips to America on the famed and fated ship TITANIC. The love story of Behr and Newsom, as well as the incredible story of survival and triumph of another TITANIC survivor and future U.S. singles champion Dick Williams, are featured in the new book TITANIC: THE TENNIS STORY by Lindsay Gibbs ($12.95, New Chapter Press, available for order on Amazon.com here: http://m1e.net/c?96018505-IQGyTFTob4NIw%407231931-7LMaJhRrgzL1I TITANIC: THE TENNIS STORY, due out officially in six weeks, narrates the extraordinary stories of tennis players Behr and Williams, who survived the sinking of the famous ship 100 years ago this coming April 15 and met on the deck of the rescue ship Carpathia. Behr and Williams eventually became teammates on the U.S. Davis Cup team and faced each other in the quarterfinals of the 1914 U.S. Nationals in Newport, R.I. – the tournament that is now the US Open.