STARS
Sania Mirza beat Bojana Jovanovski 4-6 6-3 6-0 to win the $75,000 Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ryan Harrison beat Jack Sock 7-6 (3) 6-2 6-7 (4) 6-4 to win the men’s USTA Australian Open wild-card playoffs in Norcross, Georgia, USA
Lauren Davis beat Coco Vandeweghe 6-2 6-2 to win the women’s USTA Australian Open wild-card playoffs in Norcross, Georgia, USA
Olivia Rogowska beat Jelena Dokic to win the Australian Open wild-card playoff in Perth, Australia
Shingo Kunieda beat Satoshi Saida 6-3 6-3 to win the men’s singles at the Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China
Sakhorn Khanthasit beat Dong Fuli 6-4 1-6 7-5 to win the women’s singles at the Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China
SAYINGS
“After having a not so good start to the year, I am happy to be finishing on a high. This has been a dream end for my season.” – Sania Mirza, after winning the Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge in Dubai.
“She was amazing in the third set. I had no answer to anything that she sent across.” – Bojana Jovanovski, after losing to Sania Mirza in the final of the Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
“I have also been very touched by all the messages of support I have received over the past few days, and want to thank Laureus Academy chairman Edwin Moses in particular for making a very early morning call from Atlanta … to wish me well. It was great to chat to him, although I did joke that perhaps I have gone above and beyond the call of duty for Laureus on this occasion!” – Martina Navratilova, who was hospitalized after developing a serious illness while attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.
“When you lose a lot of people make a lot of drama about it. You must understand that there are a lot of talented young players out there.” – Roger Federer, about his play this year.
“We couldn’t take the financial risk, the gap in our budget was simply too large.” Dietloff van Arnim, tournament director of the World Team Cup, explaining why the eight-team event was pulling out of Dusseldorf, Germany, and possibly might not be played again.
“It is an honor to be named ITF World Champion for the second time. After a difficult year in 2009, it was an amazing feeling to regain the number one ranking and finally win the US Open. My goal all the time is to keep improving and be a better player each year than I was the previous year.” – Rafael Nadal.
“What an honor it is to be named ITF World Champion. To be listed with all the former ITF World Champions is something I am really proud of. I had a great year in 2010 and I’m training hard to have an even better year in 2011. I’m already looking forward to the ceremony in Paris.” – Caroline Wozniacki.
“This has been another memorable year for tennis, culminating in Serbia’s triumph in the Davis Cup Final. Rafael Nadal has proved himself to be one of the greatest competitors in the sport’s history, while Caroline Wozniacki has shown a strong determination and continuous commitment to the game to earn the women’s number one ranking at such a young age.” – Francesco Ricci Bitti, International Tennis Federation president.
SPOTLIGHT FOR CHAMPIONS
Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki are the ITF World Champions for 2010. Nadal, who won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments this year, won the International Tennis Federation award for the second time. Wozniacki won six tournaments and took over the women’s number one ranking. In doubles, American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won the men’s award, while Gisela Dulko of Argentina and Flavia Pennetta of Italy captured the women’s title.
Nadal became only the seventh man in history to win a career Grand Slam after winning the US Open in September. He earlier in the year captured Roland Garros for the fifth time and his second Wimbledon title, regaining the year-end number one ranking from Roger Federer. Since he also has an Olympic gold medal and two Davis Cup titles, the 24-year-old Spaniard has won all of tennis’ major prizes.
Wozniacki is the fourth-youngest woman to earn the year-end number one ranking, behind Martina Hingis, Monica Seles and Steffi Graf. The 20-year-old is the first World Champion from Denmark since Kristian Pless was named Boys World Champion in 1999.
Youth Olympic champions Juan Sebastian Gomez of Colombia and Daria Gavrilova of Russia are the 2010 ITF Junior World Champions, while the ITF Wheelchair World Champions are Esther Vergeer of the Netherlands and Japan’s Shingo Kunieda. Vergeer has won the title for 11 consecutive years.
The ITF World Champions will receive their awards at the annual ITF World Champions Dinner on May 31 in Paris, France, during Roland Garros.
SHAHAR THE TARGET
Protesters are planning to show up at next month’s ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, even though the object of their wrath won’t be there. Organizers say Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer is actually entered in the Brisbane International, which is being played at the same time as the Auckland event. But the protest group believes she will turn up in New Zeeland. Peer has drawn protests in the past because of Israel’s policies towards Palestinians.
SUCCESSFUL
Ryan Harrison and Lauren Davis have landed berths in the Australian Open. The two youngsters won the USTA Australian Open wild-cards with victories in Norcross, Georgia, just outside Atlanta. Harrison edged Jack Sock in a battle of 18-year-olds, 7-6 (3) 6-2 6-7 (4) 6-4 to grab the Australian Open wild card for the second straight year. Davis, a 17-year-old from Gates Mills, Ohio, downed 19-year-old Coco Vandeweghe 6-2, 6-2 to earn her wild card berth to the first major of 2011. The victory by Davis ran his winning streak to 27 consecutive matches and 36 of her last 37. She has won two ITF Futures events, the Eddie Herr Junior Championships and the recent Dunlop Junior Orange Bowl.
SHOCKER
Teenager Olivia Rogowska shocked overwhelming favorite Jelena Dokic to win the Australian Open wild-card playoff in Perth, Australia. Dokic, who once was ranked as high as fourth in the world, led 6-1 3-1 before Rogowska rallied to win the rain-interrupted final 1-6 7-6 (3) 6-3. Last year it was Rogowska who was the top seed in the play-offs. In that final, Rogowska led Casey Dellacqua 6-1, 4-0 only to lose the match. “’The exact same situation happened to me last year, but vice versa, so I was really pleased to be able to close out the match and be champion this year,” Rogowska said. Dokic has already received a wild card into the Brisbane International and is likely to be granted a similar invitation to return to Melbourne Park for the year’s first Grand Slam tournament.
SERBIAN TURMOIL
Novak Djokovic is supporting his father’s initiative to change the Serbian Tennis Federation leadership and oust its president, Slobodan Zivojinovic. “I’m really sorry that the situation is almost out of control, but changes are inevitable,” the third-ranked Djokovic said. “The tennis association needs new people in order to finally build a national tennis center and provide better conditions for young talents to progress.” Djokovic’s father and Zivojinovic clashed immediately after Serbia won its first Davis Cup title by beating France 3-2 in Belgrade, Serbia.
STOPPED
Martina Navratilova was hospitalized in Nairobi, Kenya, after developing a serious illness while attempting to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. The tennis great was rushed to the hospital after developing high altitude pulmonary edema. She was climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in an attempt to raise money and awareness of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
SWITCHED
The men’s tennis tournament that was held in New Haven, Connecticut, has moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The newly named Winston-Salem Open will be held at Wake Forest University in a new tennis facility that has yet to be constructed. The tournament, scheduled for August 22-27, will have a field of 48 players competing for a total purse of USD $625,000. Local corporate sponsors of the ATP Tour event include BB&T Bank, Hanesbrands and the Flow Cos. The tournament will be the final warm-up event for the US Open.
SPONSOR-LESS
The World Team Cup has pulled out of Dusseldorf, Germany, and might not be played again. The eight-team men’s event was canceled after the ARAG insurance group withdrew its sponsorship and tournament organizers were unable to find another sponsor. The event has been played since 1978. It was held a week before Roland Garros and was considered a major warm-up event for the French Open.
STOLEN MEMENTOS
Police say three scrapbooks and a trophy belonging to retired tennis star Pete Sampras that were stolen from a West Los Angeles, California, storage facility have been recovered. A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said a member of the public found the items in Griffith Park and contacted police. Close to 100 trophies and awards were stolen from Sampras’ storage area, including an Olympic ring and his first Australian Open trophy. The tennis great said the memorabilia was not insured because it was impossible to assess its value.
STOPGAP MEASURE?
Ana Ivanovic has a coach – for now, anyway. The Serbian hired Antonio van Grichen of Portugal on a trial basis through at least the Australian hard-court season. She had been working with Heinz Gunthardt, but he did not want to travel fulltime, so they ended their relationship in the fall. Once ranked number one in the world, Ivanovic has worked with Craig Kardon, Sven Groeneveld, Darren Cahill and Mats Merkel. Working with Gunthardt, Ivanovic ended this year ranked 17th in the world. Van Grichen coached Victoria Azarenka to number six in the world and also worked briefly with Vera Zvonareva, Sorana Cirstea and Alize Cornet.
SLUGFEST, PERHAPS
Tennis Australia says it won’t tolerate any anti-social behavior from players, parents or anyone involved in tennis, and all breaches will be punished harshly. The warning came a brawl erupted at a junior tournament at Melbourne Park, site of the Australian Open, in which a 51-year-old man was arrested for assault and a 48-year-old man was taken to a hospital with facial injuries. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley said he was appalled by the fight and he wants to send a very clear message that there are certain standards and that they must be adhered to.
SITES FOR CUP
Defending champion Serbia will host India at Novi Sad, Serbia, in their first-round Davis Cup tie March 4-6. France, which lost to Serbia in the 2010 final, will travel to Austria for its first-round battle. Other 2011 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group first-round matches will have Sweden vs. Russia in Boras, Sweden; the Czech Republic vs. Kazakhstan in Ostrava, Czech Republic; Argentina vs. Romania in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Chile vs. the United States, in Santiago, Chile; Belgium vs. Spain in Charleroi, Belgium; and Croatia vs. Germany, in Zagreb, Croatia.
SAY IT QUICKLY
The broadcast announcers were probably breathing a sigh of relief when Konstantina Papoikonomou of Greece and Thailand’s Nicha Lertpitaksinchai withdrew from the USD $10,000 JSM Christmas Open, which is being played this week in Gimcheon, Korea. Top-seeded in the indoor hard court tournament is Na Ri Kim of Korea, who is ranked 322nd in the world. Kun-Hee Kim is the second-highest ranked player in the field at number 375. The tournament is scheduled to wind up on December 26.
STAN THE MAN
Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka has a wild card entry into the Aircel Chennai Open. Last year, Wawrinka reached the final in Chennai, India, tournament, losing to Croatia’s Marin Cilic. “I am grateful to the organizers at Aircel Chennai Open for providing me the opportunity to compete in this event,” said Wawrinka, who is ranked 21st in the world. Others in the draw include Cilic, Tomas Berdych and Janko Tipsarevic.
STILL WINNING
Japan’s Shingo Kunieda and Sakhorn Khanthasit of Thailand won the singles titles at the 2010 Asian Para Games in Guangzhou, China. Ranked number one in the world, Kunieda beat his compatriot Satoshi Saida to win the men’s wheelchair singles 6-3 6-3 to end the year with just one loss. The two finalists teamed to win the doubles, stopping Korea’s Ha-Gel Lee and Sang-Ho Oh in the title match.
Khanthasit also won gold in both singles and doubles. In the singles final, she bested China’s Dong Fuli 6-4 1-6 7-5, denying Dong the gold medal in what is expected to be the Chinese player’s last major tournament. Khanthasit teamed with Ratana Techamaneewat to capture the doubles gold.
SMILING FLIGHT
The new face of Turkish Airlines Business Class is from Denmark. Caroline Wozniacki will represent Turkish Airlines on commercials and public relations activities for three years. The 20-year-old Wozniacki was recently named world champion by the International Tennis Federation.
STARRING SANIA
India’s top female player captured her first tournament title in 17 months when Sania Mirza defeated Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski 4-6 6-3 6-0 in the final of the USD $75,000 Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge. Once ranked as high as 27th in the world, the 24-year-old Mirza entered the Dubai, United Arab Emirates, tournament at number 164. The victory gives Mirza 110 ranking points, which should help her climb some 25 slots in this week’s rankings.
SWITCH TO YOUTH
Great Britain is turning to its younger players in a bid to reach the Fed Cup World Group II playoffs in April. British Fed Cup captain Nigel Sears said 18-year-old Heather Watson and 16-year-old Laura Robson will team up with Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong when Great Britain takes on Israel in a Europe/Africa Zone Group I battle in late January. Watson is the 2009 US Open junior girls’ champion, while Robson won the junior Wimbledon tournament in 2008.
SUCCEEDS HOWORTH
Peter Bretherton has been elected president of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), where he succeeds Derek Howorth. Bretherton previously was deputy president of the British organization. Cathie Sabin was elected deputy president, the first woman to hold that position.
SHARED PERFORMANCES
Dubai: Julia Goerges and Petra Martic beat Sania Mirza and Vladimira Uhlirova 6-4 7-6 (7)
Guangzhou (men): Shingo Kunieda and Satoshi Saida (Japan) beat Ha-Gel Lee and Sang-Ho Oh (Korea) 6-0 6-2
Guangzhou (women): Sakhorn Khanthasit and Ratana Techamaneewat (Thailand) beat Kanako Domori and Yuko Okabe (Japan) 63 6-3
SITES TO SURF
Pune: www.aitatennis.com
ITF: www.itftennis.com
Brisbane: www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/
Chennai: www.aircelchennaiopen.org/2011/
Doha: www.qatartennis.org/
Auckland: www.asbclassic.co.nz/