STARS
Roger Federer beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-3 6-4 to win the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha, Qatar
Stanislas Wawrinka beat Xavier Malisse 7-5 4-6 6-1 to win the Aircel Chennai Open in Chennai, India
Robin Soderling beat Andy Roddick 6-3 7-5 to win the Brisbane International men’s singles in Brisbane, Australia
Greta Arn beat Yanina Wickmayer 6-3 6-3 to win the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand
Petra Kvitova beat Andrea Petkovic 6-1 6-3 to win the women’s singles at the Brisbane International in Brisbane, Australia
Ricardo Mello beat Rafae Camilo 6-2 6-1 to win the Aberto de Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Vera Zvonareva beat Caroline Wozniacki 6-1 6-0 to win an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong, China.
United States beat Belgium 2-1 to win the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia.
SAYINGS
“I feel unbelievable, I’m so happy – I don’t even know what to say. It’s a dream come true.” – Greta Arn, after upsetting Yanina Wickmayer to win the ASB Classic.
“I wasn’t just disappointed at losing, also disappointed with my game today. Everyone wants to win, but I also wanted to play a good match today and I didn’t. … I had one bad day, but four good ones this week.” – Yanina Wickmayer, after losing to Greta Arn in the ASB Classic final.
“When he’s on, he’s easily Top 10 if not Top 5 potentially, and that’s why this is obviously a huge win, because I thought he was playing well. I thought the level of play was extremely high. I was very happy with, from my side, I was almost flawless, and I was able to play offensive when I needed to, and when I wanted to it all worked out. So I’m really pleased with such a great final.” – Roger Federer, who beat Nikolay Davydenko in the title match in Doha, Qatar.
“Today he was tough. Really played fast. He gave me no chance on the return, and also he was returning good. His first serve was very good. My tennis is OK, really. I don’t want to say I played bad today.” – Nikolay Davydenko, after losing to Roger Federer.
“I’m playing really well and it makes me really happy. I’ve never really played well in Australia before and now finally I won a tournament playing really good tennis. It gives me a lot of confidence for Melbourne. I’ve had the best possible preparation I could have with five good matches here, now I’ll have a week of rest and practice in Melbourne and I’ll be more than ready to go. I know I have a chance to do really well if I play good tennis like here.” – Robin Soderling, after beating Andy Roddick to win the Brisbane International men’s singles.
“It didn’t go my way today, but overall I feel like I should be prepared for Melbourne. I felt like I hit the ball well this week, I returned pretty well. I think I could serve a little better, but if there’s one thing that I don’t worry about as much as the rest when it’s not going well it’s my serve. I feel comfortable and feel like I got what I needed out of this week.” – Andy Roddick.
“Petra played a fantastic match from beginning to end. She was hitting winners all over. I felt heavy on the court – I felt like I was just 1% less ready than in my other matches, but it made such a big difference tonight. But
“I’ll still take a lot of confidence out of this week – the way I played and even today, how I stayed positive in the second set. That’s important for me.” – Andrea Petkovic, who lost the Brisbane International women’s final.
“We’ve known each other for so many years. We played doubles together in juniors, so it’s natural. Anastasia and I have a lot of fun on the court together, even though most of the time when we’re laughing it doesn’t have anything to do with tennis.” – Alisa Kleybanova, who teamed with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova to win the Brisbane International women’s doubles.
“It’s a perfect feeling for me to win my third doubles title here in Doha after a not easy week for me. It’s a very positive thing to finish with a victory. I’m very happy for that and right now I’m going to work hard to try to be ready for the next tournament.” – Rafael Nadal, who teamed with Marc Lopez to win the ExxonMobil doubles title after being upset in the singles.
“It’s my third title with Rafa and it’s amazing for me and I’m very happy. … With my partner it’s too easy to win and I’m very happy.” – Marc Lopez, after teaming with Rafael Nadal to win the doubles in Doha, Qatar
SWEDISH DELIGHT
Robin Soderling has proven that he can beat the best in the men’s game and has reached the final at Roland Garros for the last two years. The 26-year-old Swede tuned up for the Australian Open by dismantling defending champion Andy Roddick 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the Brisbane International on a surface that’s identical to the one at year’s first Grand Slam event. Still, Soderling isn’t overconfident going into the Australian Open. “I fear everybody,” Soderling said. “I know that I have a good chance to do really well if I play good tennis like here. But I have to play well. Last year I showed I wasn’t at my best and I lost in the first round. You have to be really prepared for every match.” Soderling slammed 16 aces and never faced a break point against Roddick. “Now I have the best preparation I could have. Five good matches here and now I’ll have a week of rest and practice in Melbourne. I’ll be ready to go,” Soderling said. “These conditions, they should suit me really well. I don’t know why I haven’t played well here before. Now I’m finally showing myself I can play well here. I can play well on any surface, which is a really nice feeling.”
SPARKLING WEEK
It was a dream week for Greta Arn, whose stellar play was a nightmare for her opponents. The Hungarian won her second WTA tour title by defeating defending champion Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium in the final, 6-3 6-3. Earlier in the tournament, Arn upset top-seeded Maria Sharapova of Russia 6-2 7-5. And in the second round, she saved five match points against Sofia Arvidsson. Against Wickmayer, who had played three three-setters over the previous four days, Arn played aggressively, moving her opponent around the court. The plan worked to perfection as Wickmayer committed a string of unforced errors. “I feel unbelievable,” Arn rejoiced. “I feel so happy I don’t know what to say. My dream has come true.”
SO AT HOME
Australia is where Petra Kvitova plays her best tennis. And she has the titles to prove it. The 20-year-old Czech became the first unseeded player to win the Brisbane International when she beat Andrea Petkovic 6-1, 6-3. Her first career title came in Hobart, Australia, two years ago. “It’s strange, the first tournament in the season, I won Hobart and Brisbane,” she said. “I don’t know if it’s good preparation. I like Australia, but I don’t know why (I play so well here).” Kvitova beat third-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova to begin her dream run through the tournament. She also knocked off fifth-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
STRONG BID
Vera Zvonareva is making a strong bid for the number one ranking. After all, she needed only 56 minutes to thoroughly thrash top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki at the World Team Challenge. “It was a great match and I played some good tennis,” the 26-year-old said of her dominant performance. “I’m just happy to be back here in Hong Kong. … It was my first two matches out here to start the season, and I’m definitely excited about it.” Earlier in the exhibition event Zvonareva manhandled Venus Williams in straight sets. “The way I played those two matches, I’m very happy, so hopefully I can keep the form and play some good tennis in Australia,” Zvonareva said.
SCORCHING THE FIELD
Roger Federer is at the top of his game going into the Australia Open, where he is the defending champion. The Swiss star won the Qatar Open without dropping a set when he beat defending champion Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4 in a 79-minute final and became the first three-time winner in Doha, following titles in 2005 and 2006. “It is a great start to the new season,” Federer said. “I felt great all week here. I controlled the game from the first set and did well in the second, too.” Davydenko had upset top-seeded Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. Federer, though, was a different story. “I did not play bad. My tennis is good. It’s just that Federer did not give me a chance,” Davydenko said. “Today, I had no chance.” When asked about his chances at the Australian Open this month, Federer said, “I am not ready now. I will be when I get there. But obviously, the wins here will help me build my rhythm (in Australia).”
Nadal, who appeared sick and listless in his semifinal singles loss to Davydenko, teamed with fellow Spaniard Marc Lopez to win the doubles crown, stopping Daniele Bracciali and Andreas Seppi 6-3 7-6 (4) in the final.
SET FOR DUBAI
Roger Federer leads three of the world’s top-five male players, while seven of the top-10 women have confirmed their participation at the 2011 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. This year’s event will be played February 14-26 at the Dubai Tennis Stadium in Garhoud. Federer is a four-time former champion at Dubai, and will be joined in the men’s field by Andy Murray and two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic. Venus Williams is the women’s defending champion and holder of 41 WTA tour titles and two Olympic gold medals. Her main competition will come from world number one Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and second-ranked Vera Zvonareva of Russia.
SWINGING IN GUAM
Davis Cup competition will be played in Guam for the first time March 4-6 when the Pacific Oceania team plays host to Thailand. The Pacific Oceania team will consist of players from member nations of the Oceania Tennis Federation, which includes Guam. Last year, Michel Leong of the Solomon Islands, Cyril Jacobe of Vanuatu and Juan Langton of Samoa led Pacific Oceania to victory over Malaysia in a tie played in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
SITTING IT OUT
Britain’s Laura Robson will miss the Australian Open because of an upper thigh injury she suffered at Hopman Cup. Doctors have advised the 2008 Wimbledon junior girls champion to rest for three weeks. She had been scheduled to play in the qualifying tournament for the year’s first Grand Slam event. “The envelope surrounding the muscle is torn,” Robson’s coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, said. “She needs three weeks to recover well, so we decided not to play the Australian Open. The 16-year-old Robson will also withdraw from the British Fed Cup team to play in Israel next month.
SNAZZY OUTFIT
Nicolas Mahut found a way to get people to stop talking about that marathon match at Wimbledon. When France met the United States in the Hopman Cup, Mahut walked onto the court for a mixed doubles match wearing a women’s tennis dress that match the one worn by his partner, Kristina Mladenovic. The winning American duo consisted of Bethanie Mattek-Sands and John Isner, the winner of that marathon match.
STARK NAKED?
The hottest video on the Internet shows Andre Agassi auctioning off a nude picture of his wife, Steffi Graf. Agassi was in Japan to help host a charity auction. While holding up an autographed plate, the bidding was not going as well as he hoped. So Agassi announced that “if you bid more than $4,000 on this, I will show you a picture of my wife on my phone, naked.” The bidding immediately intensified and the winner seemed satisfied when Agassi showed him his cell phone.
SHE SAID WHAT?
An on-court argument between Jamila Groth and her husband Sam resulted in expletives being televised from the Brisbane International tournament. Under WTA rules, players are allowed to speak to their coach once per set during matches, but under the condition that the coaches wear a microphone so television audiences can hear the exchange. After losing the first set to eventual winner Andrea Petkovic of Germany, Jarmila called her husband courtside and told him their game plan wasn’t working. When she lost her serve to fall behind 4-2 in the second set, she called her husband back on court. When he told her “the conditions are heavy, the ball is heavier,” she replied: “Don’t talk to me like a (expletive) tourist.” Further comments brought forth further expletives. Tennis Australia said it is not concerned about the public on-court argument between the married couple, but officials said Jarmila needs to stop letting her on-court emotions influence her tennis.
STRAIGHT IN
India’s Somdev Devvarman and Taiwan’s Chang Kai-chen have been awarded Australian Open wild cards. The 25-year-old Indian and the 19-year-old Taiwanese woman were handed the wild cards “as part of the Australian Open’s profile as the Grand Slam of Asia Pacific,” tournament organizers said in a statement. Devvarman is currently ranked 108th in the world, just outside the Australian Open cut-off of 105. This will be his debut in the main draw of the tournament. Chang, ranked 117th, will be playing in her second Australian Open main draw. The organizers earlier awarded wild cards to the American pair of Ryan Harrison and Lauren Davies and the French duo of Benoit Paire and Virginie Razzano. Others who received wild cards were Australians Marinko Matosevic, Olivia Rogowska, Peter Luczak, Jelena Dokic, Matt Ebden and Alicia Molik.
SOME LIGHT, PLEASE
The ASB Classic will either have a brighter future or no future at all. It is widely believed that a WTA official considered banning night matches at the Auckland, New Zealand, tournament because of concerns over the lighting above the stadium. While tournament director Richard Palmer has played down the situation, he did confirm that there was an issue with the lighting, but he insisted there has never been a suggestion that they would not be able to hold a night session. Tennis Auckland has been told to improve the quality of its lights in time for next year’s tournament.
STARTING OVER
Wayne Odesnik has returned to tennis exactly one year and one day after he was arrested for importing into Australia eight vials of human growth hormone. The American was given a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation, but the sentence was halved because Odesnik cooperated with anti-doping authorities. Odesnik won a wild card berth into this week’s USTA $10,000 Plantation Open Futures. “It’s been, obviously, the hardest six months of my life, this last year,” said Odesnik. “Thank god, I’m able to put it behind me. … “This experience has humbled me. I realize how lucky I am to be out here making a living on what we love to do, even if I have to start back again. I’m ready for it and looking forward to the challenge.”
STOP WAR START TENNIS
The Indo-Pak Express has started a new business. Rohan Bopanna of India and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi of Pakistan launched their official “Stop War Start Tennis” merchandise during the Aircel Chennai Open in Chennai, India. The “Indo-Pak Express,” as they are popularly known, became headline news around the globe at last year’s Wimbledon when they showed up with the peace message on the back of their T-shirts. “What started out as a simple statement has now become a world-wide campaign. This is a great opportunity for us to connect with our fans and we are thrilled to finally launch the merchandise,” Bopanna said. Qureshi said: “People all over the world have been supporting this cause and we hope that this venture will give them an opportunity to support and spread the message of peace.”
SHARAPOVA’S A-HEAD
Maria Sharapova has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Head tennis racquets. The 23-year-old Russian previous endorsed Prince tennis racquets. Other top pros that are endorsed by Head include Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Robin Soderling. Despite her recent struggles on the court, Sharapova is still a major endorser and fashion icon. She appeared in Sports Illustrated’s popular Swimsuit Issue.
SETTING DATE
Mahesh Bhupathi and Lara Dutta plan to marry at a plush hotel in Goa, India, on February 19. Reports say the two will spend their holidays at Goa to make the wedding memorable. Bhupathi is recently divorced from Shweta Jaishankar, while Dutta has been in serious relationships with first Kelly Dorje and then with Dina Morea.
SPEAKING UP
Tennis Hall of Famer Monica Seles is now an author. The former world number one reportedly entertained offers from a number of publishers before selling a young-adult novel series to Bloomsbury. The New York Post reported that “The Academy” will follow a group of young athletic prodigies as they make their way through an elite sports academy, competing for recognition, love, money and fame. Seles honed her talents at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida. The first book in the series is due out next year.
SPONSOR
The WTA has extended through 2013 its partnership with vitamin and health supplement maker Usana Health Sciences Inc. Usana will remain the WTA’s official health supplement supplier, sponsor a number of WTA events, including its tournaments in China, and start a global advertising campaign, the company and the tour said in a statement. Financial details weren’t disclosed, although the WTA said the agreement’s terms were “significantly upgraded.” Players, including reigning US Open champion Kim Clijsters, French Open finalist Sam Stosur, Australian Open semifinalist Zheng Jie and former US Open quarterfinalist Melanie Oudin will become brand ambassadors for Usana, which first worked with the women’s circuit in 2006. “Tennis is such a global sport, and we’re in 15 countries around the world,” said Dan Macuga, vice president of marketing and public relations. The WTA hosts 52 events in 33 countries, including two tournaments in China.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Auckland: Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik beat Marina Erakovic and Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 6-0
Brisbane (men): Lukas Dlouhy and Paul Hanley beat Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau 6-4, retired
Brisbane (women): Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Klaudia Jans and Alicja Rosolska 6-3 7-5
Chennai: Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes def. Robin Haase and David Martin 6-2 6-7 (3) 10-7 (match tiebreak)
Doha: Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal beat Daniele Bracciali and Andreas Seppi 6-3 7-6 (4)
Sao Paulo: Franco Ferreiro and Andre Sa beat Santiago Gonzalez and Horacio Zeballos 7-5 7-6 (12)
SITES TO SURF
Sydney: www.medibankinternational.com/
Auckland: www.heinekenopen.co.nz/
Hobart: www.hobartinternational.com.au/
Melbourne: www.australianopen.com/en_AU/index.html
TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK
(All money in USD)
MEN
$372,500 Medibank International Sydney, Sydney, Australia, hard
$355,500 Heineken Open, Auckland, New Zealand, hard
WOMEN
$618,000 Medibank International Sydney, Sydney, Australia, hard
$220,000 Moorilla Hobart International, Hobart, Australia, hard
TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK
MEN AND WOMEN
Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia, hard (first week)
