World Tennis Magazine

Unique Tennis Perspectives

Svetlana Kuznetsova

ZVONAREVA CARVES HER NICHE IN RUSSIAN TENNIS AT WIMBLEDON

by

By Ritesh Gupta

By making it to the ladies singles final at Wimbledon, Vera Zvonareva has proved that there is so much more to the sport than just the slambang brand of tennis.

After toiling for years, the 25-year old Russian seems to have been finally rewarded for her steady play. Its a dream come true for any player when he or she makes it to the final of any Grand Slam. And Zvonareva chose Wimbledon among all the four to write this glorious chapter in her career.

Over the years, Russia has emerged as one of the strongest nations in the women’s tennis. Zvonareva has been consistent on the tour, reaching as high as fifth in the rankings in February last year, but she was always considered to be a rung below Maria Sharapova, Elena Dementieva, Svetlana Kuznetsova or Dinara Safina in terms of achievements.

Even this year at Wimbledon, nobody really expected her to reach where she has. But by defeating Jelena Jankovic, Kim Clijsters and Tsvetana Pironkova in the last three matches, Zvonareva has entered into a different zone altogether.

Getting past No. 82-ranked Pironkova for a place in the final against Serena Williams proved to be quite a battle for Zvonareva. The Russian won 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Pironkova, who beat Venus Williams in the quarterfinals, showed no sign of nerves and attacked ferociously. The Bulgarian’s game stood out for her serves and backhand. In the first set, if her serves weren’t enough to sustain the pressure, her backhand, which at times was even used for balls meant for forehand, gave Pironkova an upper hand.  Zvonareva couldn’t even force a single break point in the first set.

Just when it seemed Pironkova had everything going for her, Zvonareva did exactly what she did against Clijsters in the previous encounter. Against an opponent going all guns blazing, Zvonareva once again showed the art of varying the pace and not feasting her opponents on their strength.

Zvonareva ensured that her service games didn’t give a wee bit of a chance to Pironkova, something proved by the fact that Zvonareva only faced two points in the second and third sets. She faced those two breakpoints while leading 4-1 in the final set. And those two breakpoints, too, were saved. Zvonareva was more precise with her ground strokes and ensured that Pironkova was not able to force the pace or produce winners at will as she did early on.

The dream run for the Russian isn’t over yet. It has taken her eight years to reach where she has, her first Grand Slam final.

She seems to be very focused.

Zvonareva said she neither thought about the first set onslaught she had to bear from Pironkova nor she thought about a place in the final in the closing stages. Who knows if Zvonareva keeps her cool and confidence intact, she may lay her hands on the most coveted title in the sport.

KUZNETSOVA SURVIVES, WILLIAMS CRUISES

by

Svetlana Kuznetsova saved four match points, fought through a 90-minute rain delay and survived another day as reigning French Open women’s singles champion defeating Germany’s Andrea Petkovic 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 in a dramatic second-round match Wednesday.

After taking the first set, the 41st-ranked Petkovic led 4-2 in the second and served for the match at 5-4. The German went ahead 40-love, but sent a backhand into the net, a forehand long, and a backhand wide to waste three match points. On her fourth, she put another backhand into the net.

Eventually, Kuznetsova, seeded No. 6, hit a backhand passing shot to break serve, part of a five-game run for the Russian.

Up 5-2 in the third, Kuznetsova had trouble closing it out. But she converted her fourth match point.

A businesslike Venus Williams advanced to the third round of the French Open Wednesday, clearly unfazed by the controversy surrounding her risqué lace tennis dress. Despite damp, cool conditions at Roland Garros, she had little trouble taking out Spaniard Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-3, 6-4.

“I played a really scrappy player today,” Venus explained to Tennis Channel’s Katrina Adams. “I didn’t get a perfect rhythm, but I think I played the bigger points well, especially on my serve.”

It’s been three years since the elder Williams has advanced beyond the third round in Paris, but Venus has a chance to take over the No. 1 singles ranking from her sister if she takes the title with Serena losing before the fourth round.

Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai continued her hot streak, taking out Angelique Kerber 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Rezai, 23, wowed the partisan crowd with her powerful strokes and will take on another hard hitter, Nadia Petrova, in the third round.

No. 14 seed, Flavia Pennetta, advanced easily beating fellow Italian Roberta Vinci 6-1, 6-1.

Blair Henley contributed to this report

DULKO TOPS AZARENKA IN ROLAND GARROS UPSET

by

By Blair Henley

In perhaps the biggest surprise of the opening day of the 2010 French Open was Gisela Dulko’s 6-2, 6-1 dismantling of No. 10 seed Victoria Azarenka.

Dulko has had trouble on clay this season, losing in the first round of her last four tournaments, but she didn’t need much to out-steady Azarenka, who has struggled recently with her confidence as well as a left thigh injury.

Post-match, Dulko explained her game plan. “I had a very good strategy. I think she played very well. At the beginning I was trying to play a very good first serve and play on her forehand, because that’s her soft spot. I wanted to play well and to vary my game. I managed that.”

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez was another seeded casualty, losing to Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan 6-2, 6-4. Martinez Sanchez couldn’t follow up her stunning results in Rome earlier this month where she took out Caroline Wozniacki, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic en-route to the title.

Frenchwoman and No. 15 seed Aravane Rezai, who recently toppled Justine Henin, Jankovic and Venus Williams to win in Madrid, delighted her home crowd by easily dispatching Canadian qualifier Heidi El Tabakh 6-1, 6-1.

Also advancing in the women’s draw were No. 2 Venus Williams, No. 6 Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 14 Flavia Pennetta, No. 26 Dominika Cibulkova and No. 30 Maria Kirilenko. Kirilenko, a quarterfinalist at this year’s Australian Open, faced a tough opponent in hard-hitting Karolina Sprem, but pulled out a win 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Williams, playing in her 14th straight French Open, had a few tight moments with former top 10 star Patty Schnyder, winning 6-3, 6-3.

Kuznetsova, the defending champion, started slowly, losing the first three games to Sorana Cirstea before reeling off 12 of the next 13 for a 6-3, 6-1 win.

“Definitely I was a little bit nervous in the start,” she admitted.  “It was rough start for me, but I think I’m very happy about it.”

Kuznetsova also acknowledged her subpar results this season. The sixth seed came into the tournament with a 1-3 record on clay and 9-9 record overall – the worst of any top 10 women’s player.

“I was not showing as good results as I would like to, but I knew this moment has to pass, because I deserve better.”

Kuznetsova faces 22-year-old Bosnian Andrea Petkovic in the second round.

In an all-American matchup, Varvara Lepchenko beat Christina McHale 7-5, 6-3.

Top seed Serena Williams will be in action on day two along with No. 3 Caroline Wozniacki, No.4 Jelena Jankovic, No. 5 Elena Dementieva and No. 7 Sam Stosur.

KUZNETSOVA FIGHTS THROUGH SHAKY START IN ROLAND GARROS OPENER

by

By Randy Walker

Svetlana Kuznetsova opened up the defense of her women’s singles title at the 2010 French Open, shaking off a slow start to beat Sorana Cirstea of Romania 6-3, 6-1.

Kuznetsova trailed 0-3 in the first set, but reeled off nine straight games en route to the victory. The momentum of the match seemed to turn when Cirstea was unable to convert at 3-1, 40-0.

“It was extremely rocky start,” said Martina Navratilova on Tennis Channel of Kuznetsova. “She was able to turn it around and she never looked back. After the first three games, she played the kind of tennis that we are used to seeing her play.”

Cirstea was about as tough a first-round opponent for Kuznetsova, being ranked No. 34 – just missing out on being one of the 32 seeded players in the event – and being a quarterfinalist at Roland Garros the year before.

In 2009, Kuznetsova won her second career major singles title at Roland Garros, defeating Dinara Safina 6-4, 6-2 in the final. He first major singles title came at the 2004 U.S. Open, where she beat fellow Russian Elena Dementieva 6-3, 7-5. The year after her US Open triumph, Kuznetsova was unable to deal with the pressure of being the defending champion and was defeated in the first round the following year, losing to No. 97-ranked Ekaterina Bychkova 6-3, 6-2 to become the only defending US Open women’s champion to lose in the first round.

Kuznetsova’s win over Cirstea prevented her from becoming the second defending women’s singles champion to lose in the opening round the following year. The only defending Roland Garros women’s singles champion to not survive the opening round the following year was Anastasia Myskina of Russia, who was defeated in the first round of the 2005 French Open, losing to Maria Sanchez Lorenzo of Spain 6-4, 4-6, 6-0. That match was played exactly five years to the day of Kuznetsova’s win over Cirstea.

If Kuznetsova, seeded No. 6, doesn’t reach the semifinals this year at Roland Garros, she will drop out of the top 10 of the WTA Tour rankings.

SAFINA TO PLAY UNTIL DEAD…DOES PSYCHOLOGICAL DEATH COUNT?

by

By Blair Henley

On Dinara Safina’s personal website, she is asked the question, “How many more years do you want to play on tour?”

Her answer?  “Until I die.”

So the next logical question is: Does psychological death count?

If so, Safina’s days are numbered.

It’s been a year since her mental meltdown came to a head after losing to Svetlana Kuznetsova at the 2009 French Open. It marked the third time she seemingly folded in a Grand Slam final and added fuel to the fire that she didn’t deserve the No. 1 ranking she held at the time.

At Wimbledon, Safina reached the semis before getting crushed 6-1, 6-0 by Venus Williams. She muddled through the rest of season with her best result coming in Cincinnati where she reached the final before falling to Jelena Jankovic. Oddly, that was also the tournament where she sustained the back injury that is still causing her trouble. After retiring from her fourth round match against Maria Kirilenko at this year’s Australian Open, Safina took almost three months off to heal a pair of stress fractures in her vertebrae.

Since her return she has played three tournaments, two of which she won last year, and emerged with only one match victory to show for it. She blamed her latest loss to No. 88 Klara Zakopalova on lack of match play saying, “I have hardly hit a ball in three months and you can’t really expect much when you have had no practice and no matches. I have to look ahead and get some matches.”

Matches would be helpful, but so would a complete psychological overhaul. It’s not hard to see that the Safin(a) genes run deep. Dinara and her brother Marat are the first brother/sister duo to hold the No. 1 ranking, but they also hold the dubious honor of being some of the least mentally stable players to reach that milestone.

Marat, who retired at the end of last year, won two Grand Slam singles titles and is widely regarded as the more talented of the siblings. He also broke hundreds of rackets in his career and was the first player to be fined for lack of effort in a tournament match. Dinara, on the other hand, has an impeccable work ethic, but her desperate desire to win causes her to short circuit when the stakes are highest. Few would recommend following in Marat’s footsteps, but perhaps Dinara would benefit from a hint of the detachment her brother was known for.

Safina credits her coach, Zeljko Krajan, for helping her reach No. 1 last year, but he’s drawn criticism for his coaching style, often shaking his head or rolling his eyes at her from the stands. That wouldn’t be such a problem if his student kept her focus on the court where it belongs. Instead Safina looks to Krajan often during matches and relies heavily on his on-court coaching in the non-majors where it is allowed.

Maybe it’s not a coincidence that she has fared far better in finals where her coach could come down once per set to keep her focused and prevent potential meltdowns.

Regardless, Safina will need to learn how to problem solve without self-destructing if she hopes to get back on track this year. If she doesn’t pull it together soon, her ranking will drop significantly. Her incredibly consistent results before her back injury in 2009 have left her with many computer points to defend in 2010. Without at least a few solid showings, her spot in the Top 10 is in jeopardy. She currently sits at No. 9.

Dinara Safina wears her heart on her sleeve. Her dark eyes have held tears and triumph, but there is something fans have yet to see in the 24-year-old Russian – belief. Once she regains her match rhythm, her biggest challenge will be believing that she is capable of beating any player on any day, even in the final of a Grand Slam. Without that confidence, she will never get another chance at a major title.

MONDAYS WITH BOB GREENE: THE FIRST WEEK OF INDIAN WELLS

by

STARS

Indian Wells (First Week)

Carla Suarez Navarro beat top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 4-6 6-1

Elena Baltacha beat seventh-seeded Li Na 7-6 (6) 2-6 7-6 (7)

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez beat ninth-seeded Marin Cilic 7-6 (1) 6-0

Zheng Jie beat 10th-seeded Maria Sharapova 6-3 2-6 6-3

Gisela Dulko beat Justine Henin 6-2 1-6 6-4

Marc Lopez and Rafael Nadal beat third-seeded Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes 6-4 3-6 10-6 (match tiebreak)

Maria Kirilenko and Agnieszka Radwanska beat fourth-seeded Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs 6-4 4-6 10-3 (match tiebreak)

Igor Andreev and Evgeny Korolev beat fourth-seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi 6-4 6-4

OTHERS

Fernando Meligeni beat Mark Philippoussis 6-2 4-6 10-8 (match tiebreak) to win the Rio Champions Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Stefan Edberg beat Goran Ivanisevic 3-6 6-3 12-10 (match tiebreak) to win the BNP Paribas Zurich Open in Zurich, Switzerland

SAYINGS

“The tennis ball is perfect. I am not perfect.” – Svetlana Kuznetsova, the top-seeded Russian after she lost to Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro at Indian Wells, California.

Caroline Wozniacki
Caroline Wozniacki at Indian Wells

“As the tiebreak started, she just came out with unbelievable stuff. I think she hit four backhand winners down the line. And I thought, ‘OK, yeah, that’s why you’re top 10. I understand.’ But then at 5-1 I went into the zone and I felt really strong and I just fought my heart out.” – Elena Baltacha, a qualifier from Great Britain who saved two match points en route to a 7-6 (6), 2-6 7-6 (7) upset win over China’s Li Na.

“This week is so special for me because last year this was the last match, and then I haven’t played for almost a year.” – Mario Ancic, winning his first ATP match in more than a year after recurrences of mononucleosis.

“I’m hitting the ball well and training well. But I can see I’m having trouble closing out matches. That’s not something you can practice for.” – Carlos Moya, after edging qualifier Tim Smyczek 7-6 (7) 7-6 (5) in the first round at Indian Wells California, USA

“To not defend my Wimbledon title last year was one of the toughest decisions in my career, but this is a new year and now I have the chance to go back to England and to compete on the grass again.” – Rafael Nadal, who won the last two grass-court tournaments he played, Queen’s Club and Wimbledon in 2008.

“Before the event started, I felt like a stranger among so many great champions. I was the only one that hadn’t reached the top 10, and here I am with this trophy.” – Fernando Meligeni, the surprise winner of the Rio Champions Cup, a senior event played in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“John is a great fighter and a fantastic tennis player. He’s still got the fire and wants it badly. There’s only one John McEnroe, and so long as he keeps playing it’s good for tennis.” – Stefan Edberg, after edging McEnroe in a seniors tournament in Zurich, Switzerland.

“It’s too bad I blew it. Any time you’re up 5-0 in a tiebreak you should certainly win it.” – John McEnroe, after losing to Stefan Edberg.

“After 20 minutes of play I was dead. I had pain in my elbow, in my knee. I had blisters. It is tough not to play for four months and then try to play. I have to get used again to play at least a couple of times a week. This is new for me.” – Marat Safin, after losing his first Champions Series match just 17 weeks after retiring from the ATP World Tour.

“Marat’s game is based on the physical power, and as he is not in a competitive shape, it gave me an edge.” – Wayne Ferreira of South Africa, who stunned Marat Safin in the Russian’s Champions Series debut in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“What we guaranteed was at least a million dollars, but people are continuing to make contributions. With a little bit of luck, we’ll tally everything up and we’ll go over the million dollar target.” – Larry Ellison, owner of Indian Wells Tennis Garden, when he presented a check for USD $1 million to the American Red Cross Haiti relief and development fund.

STRICKENED

A broken left wrist has caused fifth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko to withdraw from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Davydenko first suffered the injury last month in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, but it was misdiagnosed. An MRI scan on Sunday showed the true injury. “He has a fracture in his left wrist and he will be in a split for the next four weeks,” an ATP Tour official said. The Russian hurt his wrist when he fell during a loss to Sweden’s Robin Soderling. In his next tournament, Davydenko retired with a wrist injury from a match with Michael Berrer.

SAYS BYE TO TIE

Following suicide bomb attacks in Lahore, Pakistan has given up hope of staging a Davis Cup tie against New Zealand in July. Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) president Dilawar Abbas said that while his country has asked the International Tennis Federation (ITF) to allow the tie to be played in Pakistan, “there is no doubt the situation has changed after the Lahore blasts.” Two suicide bombers targeting the Pakistani military killed at least 45 people in Lahore in the latest incidents. Several sporting events have been cancelled in the country since the Sri Lanka cricket team’s bus was ambushed last year. Since then the ITF has already moved Davis Cup ties against Oman and Hong Kong out of Pakistan when those nations refused to play in the country.

SPORTSWOMAN OF YEAR

Serena Williams and Kim Clijsters were among the winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards. Williams was named Sportswoman of the Year for the second time, while Clijsters earned Comeback of the Year honors. The 28-year-old Williams, who also won the award seven years ago, was crowned champion at the Australian Open and Wimbledon as well as the season-ending Tour Championships as she regained the number one ranking in 2009. Clijsters won the US Open last year after being absent from tennis for two years to get married and have a baby. Sprinter Usain Bolt won the Sportsman of the Year award for the second time. Former Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo was presented with the Sport for Good award, honored for his humanitarian work through the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation.

SHARING SKILLS

Goran Ivanisevic will continue to coach Marin Cilic on a part-time basis. Ivanisevic will travel with the Australian Open semifinalist to Key Biscayne, Florida, and Madrid, Spain, to continue the relationship the two began at the PBZ Zagreb Indoors tournament in February, an event Cilic won. The 21-year-old Cilic is coached on a full-time basis by Bob Brett, who also coached Ivanisevic. At Miami and Madrid, Brett will step back and let Ivanisevic take over. “I will be like a mentor to Marin,” Ivanisevic said. It was Ivanisevic who first brought Cilic, then 15 years old, to Brett’s attention. Cilic and Brett have worked together ever since at Brett’s academy in San Remo, Italy.

SPEED BUMP

Justine Henin ran into a speed bump on her comeback trail. Playing just her third tournament since ending a 19-month retirement, Henin lost to Gisela Dulko of Argentina 6-2 1-6 6-4 in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. The Belgian, who was ranked number one in the world when she retired in May 2008, had reached the finals at Brisbane, Australia, and the Australian Open in her previous two tournaments this year. Against Dulko, however, Henin struggled on serve, saving just two of eight break points, and never found consistency with her ground strokes. “It was a tough day today, I agree,” Henin said. “I wasn’t consistent enough. That’s very simple. It’s a bit of an off day and you have to deal with it.”

SUPER MATCH

When Stefan Edberg and John McEnroe clashed at the ATP Champions Tour event in Zurich, Switzerland, it was the fans that came away the winner. Edberg saved two match points and earned a standing ovation with his thrilling 6-4 4-6 13-11 (match tiebreak) victory. The 51-year-old McEnroe won the first five points of the tiebreak, only to see Edberg knot the score at 8-8. McEnroe surged again, setting up two match points, before Edberg rallied for the victory. “I was pretty lucky to come out of this one,” Edberg said. “I thought I had lost the match when I was 5-0 down in the tiebreak. John was serving well and you shouldn’t really win a match like that, but luckily I did.” The two players received a standing ovation from the crowd at the Saalsporthalle in Zurich.

Edberg rallied from two match points down again in the title match before defeating Goran Ivanisevic 3-6 6-3 12-10 (match tiebreak). This time, the match points came on Ivanisevic’s serve, one of the biggest in tennis.

SENIOR STUNNER

Being the youngest in the field and newly retired from the ATP Tour, Marat Safin probably thought it would be an easy run at the Banco Cruzeiro do Sul Rio Champions Cup, a senior event. He was so wrong. Safin was stunned by South African Wayne Ferreira 7-6 (4) 6-4 in the Russian’s Champions Series debut. The 30-year-old Safin played his last match on the ATP World Tour 17 weeks ago. The 38-year-old Ferreira last played a full season on the ATP Tour in 2004. It was his first win over Safin after losing all three previous meetings during their ATP careers.

SIGNED UP

Lleyton Hewitt is the latest star to enter the first Atlanta Tennis Championships, scheduled to be held July 19-25 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The hard-court tournament was moved to Atlanta from Indianapolis, Indiana, and serves as the kickoff to the 2010 Olympus US Open Series. Besides Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam tournament winner, others who have entered the Atlanta Tennis Championships include Americans John Isner, James Blake and Robby Ginepri.

STANDING TALL

As he promised, Fernando Gonzalez toured the area in Chile where a massive earthquake last month killed hundreds of people. During Chile’s first-round Davis Cup tie against Israel, Gonzalez promised the visit. “The people are very strong even though they’ve lost everything, and they are optimistic,” Gonzalez posted on Twitter during his visit. “I wish every one of us would have this fighting spirit to get through this moment and move forward.” Gonzalez visited a fishing village called El Morro, near Talcahuano, which was devastated by both the earthquake and a subsequent tsunami. The Olympic gold medalist played a tennis exhibition with children of the area. Talcahuano’s mayor, Gaston Saavedra, thanked Gonzalez for his visit, saying: “A national figure as Fernando Gonzalez helps people to clear their mind a little, especially the ones that have lost everything.”

STUMBLING

Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs won 32 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour doubles titles together before they went their separate ways. Now they’re back together again, but the victories have yet to follow. Seeded fourth at the PNB Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, USA, Raymond and Stubbs were upset by Maria Kirilenko and Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 4-6 10-3 (match tiebreak). Raymond had been seeking to become the first woman to win the doubles at Indian Wells seven times. Since reuniting at the start of this year, the team of Raymond and Stubbs has lost their opening match in three of their four Tour events.

STRAIGHT IN

The last time Rafael Nadal was at Queen’s Club, he came away with the grass-court tournament title. Now he’s returning, but not as the defending champion. Nadal missed the tournament last year because of a knee problem. In 2008, he became the first man to win the French Open, Queen’s Club and Wimbledon in the same year. “I always look forward to coming to England to play at The Queen’s Club and Wimbledon, but this year there is even more motivation because I could not defend my titles last year,” Nadal said. Also entered in this year’s Queen’s Club is US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro.

SEEKING ANSWERS

Talk about pressure. Now the House of Commons will take a look at the state of British tennis. The sports minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, has asked a group of MPs and peers to examine whether the Lawn Tennis Association is putting its public money to the best use. It is believe to be the first time the government has been asked to scrutinize the perceived flaws and failings of British tennis. In addition to the £ 25 million-plus the LTA receives each year from Wimbledon, the governing body of British tennis is receiving £ 26.8 million of public money from Sport England spread over a four-year period from 2009 to 2013. At least two hearings are planned, and a number of LTA’s critics are expected to testify about where they think the current tennis administration has gone wrong. Sutcliffe said there was a possibility of cutting future funding for British tennis.

SERVING ALL

The Bud Collins Tennis Courts have opened for play at the Prince Royal’s College in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The courts, named for the famed tennis writer, were the scene of a small tournament as part of the opening festivities. Players aged 8 to 18 participated, with Collins himself awarding the trophies. Collins’ missionary grandparents founded the Prince Royal’s College in 1887. The writer’s father was the third of seven children, all born in Siam, then the name of the country now known as Thailand. The opening of the Bud Collins Tennis Courts is a continuation of the Collins legacy at the school.

SWISS RECIPIENT

Heinz Grimm of Switzerland is the 2010 recipient of the prestigious Golden Achievement Award given by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation (ITF). The Golden Achievement Award is presented annually to individuals who have made important contributions internationally to tennis in the fields of administration, promotion or education, and have devoted long and outstanding service to the sport. Grimm has been active as an administrator in the sport for more than five decades. He received the award at the Swiss Tennis Gala Night in Zurich from Sir James Harvie-Watt, a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Among his many activities, Grimm has been chairman of the Fed Cup Committee and in 2001 was named an honorary life vice president of the ITF. Before he became an administrator, Grimm played on Switzerland’s Davis Cup team in 1960 and served as a playing captain in 1961 and a non-playing captain from 1962 to 1974. Nominations for the Golden Achievement Award are submitted by tennis federations and individuals from the around the world, and then voted on by the Golden Achievement Award Selection Committee.

SOME HOME COOKING

Nothing like playing at home for Fernando Meligeni. Spurred on by a boisterous and supportive home crowd, the Brazilian was a surprise winner of the Banco Cruzerio do Sul Rio Champions Cup in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Meligeni downed Australian Mark Philippoussis 6-2 4-6 10-8 (match tiebreak) in the final. His first title in the Champions Series for players 30 and over earned Meligeni USD $60,000. Before now, Meligeni’s best career performances were a semifinal appearance at the 1999 French Open and a fourth-place finish at the 1996 Olympic Games.

SLOANE SPECIAL

A 16-year-old native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, Sloan Stephens won her first WTA Tour match, defeating Lucie Hradecka of the Czech Republic 7-6 (5) 7-6 (7). It wasn’t easy, however. Stephens led 5-2 in the second set and had match point on her serve in the ninth game. Then she had to rally from 3-6 down in the second-set tiebreaker. “I wasn’t getting nervous,” the young American admitted. “She started playing a lot more. Before, she was hitting a lot of balls off the court and I was waiting for the error. She made me play at the end.”

SIGNED UP 2

US Open finalists Kim Clijsters and Caroline Wozniacki have entered the grass-court tournament at Eastbourne, England. Clijsters celebrated her return to professional tennis following a two-year retirement by winning America’s premier tennis event by beating Wozniacki, who is the defending champion at Eastbourne. “I won it in 2005 and can’t wait to play there to come back to challenge for the title again,” Clijsters said. “It’s a really well-run tournament in a laid-back atmosphere providing the perfect preparation ahead of Wimbledon.”

SERENA VS. MARTINA

When World Team Tennis begins play in July, Martina Hingis will take on Serena Williams in a battle between two players who have been ran ked number one in the world. A five-time Grand Slam tournament singles champion and the youngest woman to be ranked number one, Hingis will play for the New York Buzz and face Serena on July 9. Hingis also will play Venus Williams of the Washington Kastles on July 7 and Kim Clijsters of the New York Sportimes on July 19.

STEALING THE LIMELIGHT

Martina Navratilova and Andre Agassi stole the limelight with their wit as well as their racquets while playing exhibition matches to raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake. Navratilova and Justine Henin beat Steffi Graf and Lindsay Davenport 8-6 before Pete Sampras and Roger Federer stopped Agassi and Rafael Nadal by the same score. The men’s doubles match also added some controversy to the night. After Sampras did an impersonation of Agassi by walking pigeon-toed on the baseline, Agassi responded by pulling out both the pockets of his tennis shorts and saying he didn’t have any money. In his book “Open,” Agassi wrote that Sampras had a reputation for being a very bad tipper.

SERVING TENNIS CANADA

Marc Bibeau is the newest member of Tennis Canada’s board of directors. President of Beauward Shopping Centres Ltd., Bibeau has played tennis his entire life and is a volunteer director of Tennis Canada. “Tennis has always been my passion,” Bibeau said. He replaces Senator Francis Fox, who decided not to stand for re-election after four years on the board.

SITES TO SURF

Indian Wells: www.bnpparibasopen.org/

Marrakech: www.arryadia.com/mtt

Sunrise: www.sunrisetennis.com

Bogota: www.tennissegurosbolivar.com

Miami: www.sonyericssonopen.com/

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

(All money in USD)

ATP

$4,000,000 BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, California, USA, hard (second week)

$145,000 Morocco Tennis Tour, Marrakech, Morocco, clay

$125,000 BMW Tennis Championships, Sunrise, Florida, USA, hard

WTA

$4,000,000 BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, California, USA, hard (second week)

SENIORS

Seguros Bolivar Tennis Champions, Bogota, Colombia, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP

$4,000,000 Sony Ericsson Open, Miami, Florida, USA, hard (first week)

WTA

$4,000,000 Sony Ericsson Open, Miami, Florida, USA, hard (first week)

VENUS WILLIAMS WINS BNP PARIBAS SHOWDOWN AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

by

NEW YORK – Venus Williams won the title at the BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup exhibition tennis series Monday at Madison Square Garden, defeating Kim Cljisters 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 in the final.

Williams won $400,000 for winning the one-night, four-player event that featured players who won the previous year’s major titles or ranked No. 1 in the world.

Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters
Venus Williams and Kim Clijsters

Williams, the former world No. 1 and the five-time Wimbledon champion, defeated French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 in the one-set, no-ad scoring semifinal match earlier in the evening. Clijsters, the 2009 US Open champion, saved a match point in defeating former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic 7-6 (7-2) in the other semifinal. Ivanovic substituted for defending champion Serena Williams, the 2009 Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, who withdrew due to a leg injury.

Cljisters earned $300,000 for the runner-up showing. Losing semifinalists Ivanovic and Kuznetsova earned $250,000 each.

A healthy crowd of approximately 10,000 fans attended the event, but attendance waned at the later stages of the night, that concluded at approximately 11:30 am.

The event is in its second year after Serena Williams defeated Venus in last year’s final, with Jelena Jankovic and Ivanovic being the other two participants in the 2009 debut year.

Jerry Solomon of StarGames, Inc., organizers of the events, said that he hopes the event can be transformed into a two-day event featuring all four winners of the major titles for men and women, with two men’s and two women’s semifinals being played on one day and the finals being played on a second day. John McEnroe, during the ESPN2 telecast of the final, also promoted that a multi-day event featuring the four men’s and women’s winners of all four majors would be a great stage for tennis. McEnroe noted a similar event for men that he played in the late 1970s, early 1980s called the Pepsi Grand Slam. The International Tennis Federation ran an event called the Grand Slam Cup from 1990 to 1999 that featured the 16 men who fared the best over the Grand Slam tournaments over a calendar year. A women’s Grand Slam Cup was held in 1998 and 1999.

ATLANTA ATHLETIC CLUB NAMED SITE OF ATLANTA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS: THIS WEEK IN TENNIS BUSINESS

by

By Justin Cohen

  • The USTA Southern section announced on Tuesday that the Atlanta Athletic Club will host the 2010 Atlanta Tennis Championships from July 19-25, an ATP World Tour 250 event that will kick-off the Olympus US Open Series. “The Atlanta Athletic Club is the perfect site for the Atlanta Tennis Championships,” said Rex Maynard, the President of the USTA Southern section. “With its rich history of hosting ATP tennis and other major sporting events, it is a great location, and has wonderful facilities for showcasing professional tennis in the Atlanta area.” In 2005, the Atlanta Athletic Club was named by the USTA as the National Tennis Facility of the Year and from 1986-2001, the club hosted ATP tournaments every April. “The Atlanta Athletic Club is pleased to host the upcoming Atlanta Tennis Championship this July and the best tennis players in the world,” said Chris Borders, the General Manager at the Atlanta Athletic Club.
  • Commemorative Roger Federer stamps featuring his 2009 title run at the French Open will be released this week in Austria. 300,000 stamps will be sold, as well as 2,000 silver editions.
  • Serena Williams will face Kim Clijsters on March 1 at Madison Square Garden in New York City during the BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup. The other semifinal will feature Venus Williams against Svetlana Kuznetsova. The Williams vs. Clijsters match will be a re-match of their famous U.S. Open semifinal last September where Williams lost the match after a point penalty after shooting obscenities at a lineswoman.
  • Starting this summer, the ATP and WTA Tour Ordina Open will be called the UNICEF Open. The tournament will be held from June 13-19 in the Netherlands.
  • Ana Ivanovic signed a lifetime endorsement deal with adidas. Financial terms of the deal were not released. “Ivanovic is believed to have become the youngest ever athlete – male of female – to sign an agreement of this length,” said a statement by Ivanovic’s management. Ivanovic, however, has struggled of late, falling from her perch as the No. 1 player in the world in 2008 to her current rank of No. 23. She holds a 7-10 record since July of 2009 and recently accounted for losing all three points in Serbia’s 3-2 loss to Russia in the first round of the 2010 Fed Cup.
  • During a recent interview with France’s Sportweek, former World No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam singles champion Amelie Mauresmo said that she has settled into retirement and hopes to be a tournament director, as well as host an interview show if the opportunity comes along. “I’m already planning into the future because I don’t want to do nothing for a long time, but I want to reflect properly and fix the stages for getting there like I did with tennis,” said Mauresmo.
  • Italian Flavia Pennetta, who previously wore Sergio Tacchini, has signed a three-year clothing sponsorship deal with adidas.
  • Fernando Verdasco, currently ranked No.11 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, beat 14-time Grand Slam singles champion Pete Sampras, 6-3, 7-6(2), in a 56-minute exhibition match at the SAP Open in San Jose on Monday night.
  • Still suffering from a back injury that forced her to retire during a match at the Australian Open, Dinara Safina has withdrawn from next week’s Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event in Dubai. “Unfortunately, I will not be able to play the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships this year because of the back injury that’s been bothering me since the end of last season,” Safina said on her official website.
  • Model Brooklyn Decker, wife of Andy Roddick, landed on the cover of the 2010 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue. Former world No. 1 and French Open champion Ana Ivanovic is featured in three pages of the swimsuit issue. “It was a very rewarding experience: fun and challenging at the same time,” said Ivanovic. “Obviously a publication like this is run by people who are leaders in their fields and I found it very interesting and enjoyable to work with them.”
  • Former World No. 2 Tommy Haas has earned his United States citizenship but will continue to represent Germany during competition. Through a statement on his official website, Haas said he completed the naturalization process by passing the United States citizenship test in December and taking the oath of allegiance on January 27. “In Tampa, along with about 300 other immigrants from over 70 different countries, I raised my right hand to swear the oath of allegiance,” said Haas. “I desperately wanted to do this because the United States have really become my home over the past years and that’s why I considered it a logical step to apply for naturalization.” Haas has been living in the United States since he started training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida when he was a teenager.
  • Justine Henin has received a wild card into the main draw at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. “I hope that I am able to claim my first title of the season at the BNP Paribas Open in March,” said Henin.
  • Argentine Jose Acasuso, currently ranked No. 59, had knee surgery on Tuesday and will be sidelined for two months.
  • During the Nuremberg toy fair, Mattel unveiled a Kim Clijsters Barbie doll, as well as a doll of Clijsters’ daughter Jada. The doll marks Clijsters’ US Open title last year. “When I was a young girl I played with my Barbie dolls all the time and took them with me everywhere I went. I am therefore deeply honored and humbled…” said Clijsters in a statement. “My family means everything to me, so I was really excited when I found out that Jada would also receive her very own ‘Jada’ Barbie doll.”
  • Babolat, the leading manufacturer of tennis racquets, has signed a two-year deal to be the presenting sponsor of the “Little Mo” Nationals and “Little Mo” International Open tennis tournaments. “The shared values between Babolat and the ‘Little Mo’ organization make this the perfect partnership. We think 2010 will be the best year yet!” said Carol Weyman, the Executive Vice President of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation and “Little Mo” Tournament Chairman.

McENROE BOOK CALLED “HARDCOURT CONFIDENTIAL,” US OPEN NATIONAL PLAYOFFS TO DEBUT: THIS WEEK IN TENNIS BUSINESS

by

Bob Stockton is subbing for Justin Cohen this week for THIS WEEK IN TENNIS BUSINESS

* U.S. Davis Cup Captain, USTA General Manager of Player Development and ESPN Commentator Patrick McEnroe will have his book called “Hardcourt Confidential: Tales from Twenty Years in the Pro Tennis Trenches” come out on June 8, 2010. [Read more…] about McENROE BOOK CALLED “HARDCOURT CONFIDENTIAL,” US OPEN NATIONAL PLAYOFFS TO DEBUT: THIS WEEK IN TENNIS BUSINESS

CAN HENIN TOP CLIJSTERS COMEBACK?

by

Can Justine Henin out do Kim Clijsters?

The diminutive Belgian overcame a huge hurdle in her comeback bid, beating No. 5 seed and recently crowned Sydney International champion Elena Dementieva 7-5, 7-6 (6) in the Australian Open second round.

The win firmly establishes her as among the favorites to actually win the tournament.

If Henin is able to win the Australian Open, she will do so in only her second tournament since coming out of an 18-month retirement, one tournament less than her countrywomen and top rival Clijsters did when she won the U.S. Open last September. Clijsters returned to tennis after a 27-month retirement in July of 2009 after giving birth to a daughter, Jada, on February 27, 2008.

Henin next faces No. 27 seed Alisa Kleybanova of Russia in the third round, then a potential match with another Beligian upstart, 2009 U.S. Open semifinalist Yanina Wickmayer. Clijsters or No. 3 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova could be a potential quarterfinal opponent, while No. 2 seed Dinara Safina, No. 8 Jelena Jankovic, No. 11 seed Marian Bartoli or Maria Sharapova’s conqueror Maria Kirilenko could be a final-round opponent.

Henin, a seven-time Grand Slam tournament champion, won her match with Dementieva in 2 hours, 50 minutes. She won the Australian Open in 2004 and made this year’s tournament as a wildcard.

“At the end the nerves got to me,” said Henin after the win over Dementieva. “It was really difficult to close the match out. I couldn’t believe I could live the emotions like that.”

MONDAYS WITH BOB GREENE: STARS OF 2009

by

STARS OF 2009

Australian Open

Men: Rafael Nadal; Women: Serena Williams

Roland Garros

Men: Roger Federer; Women: Svetlana Kuznetsova

Wimbledon

Men: Roger Federer; Women: Serena Williams

US Open

Men: Juan Martin del Potro; Women: Kim Clijsters

Sony Ericsson Championships

Serena Williams

Barclays ATP World Tour Finals

Nikolay Davydenko

Davis Cup

Spain

Fed Cup

Italy

SAYINGS

“We can attribute the strength and the growth of women’s tennis a great deal to her. She is a superstar.” – Stacey Allaster, WTA Tour chairman and CEO, talking about Serena Williams.

“My goal is to have a better year than ’09 – and to stay healthy, and I think if I can do that, I’ll be fine.” – Serena Williams, looking towards 2010.

“To win my first Roland Garros title, break the all-time Grand Slam record and regain the number one ranking is amazing. It means a lot to me to finish the year again at the top.” – Roger Federer.

“I know I’m going back into the tennis life, where we’re spoiled with limousines and hotel suites, but I know now there are other more important matters. You have to build on the human adventures, not the trophies, not the titles, not the money.” – Justine Henin, saying her time away from tennis allowed her to discover herself.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I love the game of tennis. I play it regularly, watch it frequently, and now look forward to being in Indian Wells every March to host the greatest players in the world.” – Larry Ellison, new owner of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, USA.

“Being captain of the Davis Cup team is difficult but it also makes you proud, and given that there are a lot of people who could do this job, I am thankful for the renewal of this confidence in me.” – Albert Costa, whose contract to captain Spain’s victorious Davis Cup team was extended for another year.

SERENA ATHLETE OF YEAR

Serena Williams
Serena Williams

Serena Williams was named the 2009 Female Athlete of the Year by The Associated Press. The world’s top-ranked player received 66 of 158 votes cast by editors at AP member newspaper in the United States. No other candidate got more than 18 votes. Williams won the Australian Open and Wimbledon singles titles, giving her 11 Grand Slam tournament victories for her career, and she teamed with her older sister Venus to win the women’s doubles titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. At the two majors she didn’t win in 2009, Williams lost to the eventual champions, Svetlana Kuznetsova at Roland Garros and Kim Clijsters at the US Open. Serena also won the AP Female Athlete of the Year award in 2002. “I’m just happy and blessed to even be playing seven years later,” she said. “All this is a bonus, really. In 2002, I just was really dominant, and I think in 2009 I just brought that back. I kind of became that player again.”

STELLAR CHAMPIONS

For the fifth time, Roger Federer has been named the International Tennis Federation (ITF) men’s champion. Serena Williams was named the top woman for the second time in her career. Federer regained the world number one ranking from Rafael Nadal as he won his first French Open title and his 15th Grand Slam tournament crown by capturing his sixth Wimbledon title. The Swiss star also reached the final of the other two Grand Slam tournaments, losing to Nadal at the Australian Open and to Juan Martin del Potro at the US Open. “It is an honor for me to be named ITF World Champion for a fifth time. It was an incredible year for me both on and off the court,” said the 28-year-old Federer, who also was married and became the father of twin daughters in 2009.

Serena Williams was also impressive in 2009. She won the Australian Open for the fourth time and her third Wimbledon title, and then finished the year by capturing the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar. She broke the single-season women’s money record by winning more than USD $6.5 million as she posted a 50-12 match record in singles. Serena led the WTA Tour with 381 aces and also led in percentages of first-service points won and service games won.

Serena also teamed with her sister Venus Williams to be named the women’s doubles World Champions. They won the doubles titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in 2009, running their career total to 10 Grand Slam tournament titles. Serena joins Lindsay Davenport and Martina Hingis as the only players to become singles and doubles world champions in the same year. When Martina Navratilova was dominating both singles and doubles in the 1980s, the ITF did not honor doubles champions.

American twins Bob and Mike Bryan were named the men’s doubles World Champions for the sixth time in seven years.

The award is based on performances at Grand Slam tournaments, tour events, Davis Cup and Fed Cup. The ITF World Champions will receive their awards at the annual ITF World Champions Dinner on June 1 in Paris, France, during the French Open.

SPORTS EVENT MANAGEMENT AWARD

The All England Club received a Gold Award for Sports Event Innovation at the SportBusiness Sports Event Management Awards 2009. The award recognizes the innovation and skills of the people and organizations that make sports events happen. Nigel Rushman, co-chair of the judging panel, said the judges “were extremely impressed” by the All England Club’s entry. “They have earned the right to be considered the best in the world in their area in 2008-9.” Wimbledon unveiled a retractable roof over Centre Court in 2009, allowing play to continue even in inclement weather.

SINGLED OUT

Wild cards entries into the Australian Open have been handed out to Australians Alicia Molik and Bernard Tomic. Olivia Rogowska, a teenager from Melbourne, Australia, was also given a wild card into the women’s singles by tournament organizers. Besides Tomic, who won the Australian Open and US Open junior boys titles in 2009, others given wild cards into the men’s singles were two other Australians, under-18 champion Jason Kubler and Davis Cupper Carsten Ball. Earlier, organizers granted former world number one Justine Henin of Belgium a wild-card entry into the women’s draw.

STICKING AROUND

Albert Costa will be back as captain of Spain’s victorious Davis Cup team. The Spanish tennis federation (RFET) extended Costa’s contract for another year. Costa led his team to victory over the Czech Republic in the 2009 final as Spain became the first team in 11 years to successfully defend its title. Costa, who played Davis Cup for Spain and won the French Open as a player, had been appointed in December 2008 for one year. Spanish federation president Jose Luis Escanuela praised Costa’s “fine work behind the scenes” in winning Spain’s fourth Davis Cup.

SENT INVITATION

Great Britain’s Prince William has been invited to attend the Australian Open. Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard sent an official invitation to Prince William, urging the second in line to the British throne to be guest of honor at Melbourne Park. The prince will be on a three-day tour of Australia, including a visit to areas devastated by bush fires. “We are very hopeful Prince William will come,” said Australian Open chief Steve Wood. “We have heard he is a bit of a tennis fan and we think he would absolutely love seeing the world’s best players on Rod Laver Arena at Australian Open 2010.”

SANTIAGO-BOUND

Defending champion Fernando Gonzalez of Chile, German Tommy Haas, Argentina’s Juan Monaco and Richard Gasquet of France headline the roster at the 2010 Movistar Open, which begins January 31 in Santiago, Chile. This year’s Movistar Open will be held during the 200th anniversary of Chilean independence and will feature players from Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, France, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Poland, Uruguay and the United States, as well as Chile. Both Haas and Gasquet will be making their first visit to Chile. Monaco was runner-up in 2008 when the tournament was held in Vina del Mar.

SWITCH IN OWNERS

The BNP Paribas Open and the Indian Wells Tennis Garden have a new owner. Larry Ellison, co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, has purchased the tournament and stadium from the previous ownership group, which included several former tennis champions, including Charlie Pasarell, Raymond Moore, Pete Sampras, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King. The BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, USA, is reportedly the best attended tennis tournament in the world after the four Grand Slam events. Pasarell and Moore, who formed PM Sports Management in 1985, will continue to manage the event and the stadium for Ellison’s company, Tennis Ventures LLC. Steve Simon will continue as tournament director and chief operating officer of the facility. Former owner George Mackin has the new title of Director of Sponsorship Marketing.

SIGNED ON

Ana Ivanovic will begin her bid to regain the world number one ranking with a new fitness trainer. The 2008 Roland Garros champion has already begun working with Australian Damian Prasad on a trial basis. Prasad formerly worked with many other players, including Nadia Petrova, Eleni Danilidou, Nicolas Kiefer, Wayne Arthurs and Raemon Sluiter.

Ivanovic also has recently purchased an apartment in an exclusive building being built in New
Belgrade. Her apartment reportedly has an impressive view of New and Old Belgrade and the rivers. Construction is in the final phase and Ana’s parents, Dragana and Miroslav, have already started working on the interior design for their daughter.

STARRING AS KING

Novak Djokovic has stepped up from being the best tennis player in Serbia to becoming king of Yugoslavia. Djokovic will play the king in a new television series about the life of Aleksandar Karadjordjevic (1888-1934), who was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia as well as the last king of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. The 10-episode series will begin filming in March. Novak’s youngest brother, Djordje, will play the young Aleksandar Karadjordjevic.

SELECTED

The best Czech tennis player of 2009 is – drum roll, please – the Czech Republic Davis Cup team. Czech President Vaclav Klaus presented the award to the Davis Cup team, which advanced to the final for the first time in 29 years. It is the first time in the poll’s 17-year history that the award went to a team and not an individual player. Radek Stepanek was named the best male player of the year, while Lucie Safarova received the best female tennis player of the year honor.

SELA, SHAHAR STAR

There was tennis over the Christmas holiday. One tournament was the Israeli championships in Ra’anana, which was won by Dudi Sela and Shahar Peer. Sela won his second Israeli men’s crown and first since 2006, beating Amir Weintraub in the final, while Peer had no problems crushing Julia Glushko in the women’s title match. Peer already has won six national championships, including the last four. “I was looking at the record books and saw that Tova Epstein won eight straight titles, so I’m hoping to break her record in the future,” Peer said.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Australian Open: Men: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan; Women: Serena Williams and Venus Williams; Mixed: Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi

Roland Garros: Men: Lukas Dlouhy and Leander Paes; Women: Anabel Medina Garrigues and Virginia Ruano Pascual

Wimbledon: Men: Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic; Women: Serena Williams and Venus Williams; Mixed: Mark Knowles and Anna-Lena Groenefeld

US Open: Men: Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy; Women: Serena Williams and Venus Williams; Mixed: Carly Gullickson and Travis Parrott

London: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan

Doha: Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez

SITES TO SURF

Brisbane: www.brisbaneinternational.com.au/

Chennai: www.aircelchennaiopen.org/

Auckland: www.asbclassic.co.nz/

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

(All money in USD)

ATP

$1,110,250 Qatar Exxon Mobil Open, Doha, Qatar, hard

$484,750 Brisbane International, Brisbane, Australia, hard

$450,000 Aircel Chennai Open, Chennai, India, hard

$125,000 ATP Challenger Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil, hard

WTA

$220,000 Brisbane International, Brisbane, Australia, hard

$220,000 ASB Classic, Auckland, New Zealand, hard

Mondays With Bob Greene: Spain Retains Davis Cup

by

STARS

Spain wins Davis Cup
Spain wins Davis Cup

Michael Berrer beat Jarkko Nieminen 6-7 (4) 6-4 6-4 to win the Salzburg Indoors in Salzburg, Austria

Konstantin Kravchuk beat Marcel Granollers 1-6 6-3 6-2 to win the Yugra Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia

Pat Rafter beat Stefan Edberg 6-7 (5) 6-4 11-9 (Champions tiebreak) to win the AEGON Masters Tennis in London, United Kingdom

Spain beat Czech Republic 5-0 in Barcelona, Spain, to win the 2009 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas

SAYING

“It may look like routine but I think to win the Davis Cup two years in a row is spectacular. We need to talk about this a lot … we need to remember. It’s important.” – Albert Costa, captain of Spain’s victorious Davis Cup team.

“To finish the second half of the season with this ending is very important and nice, especially after all of the problems I had over those two months. You have to be sure to enjoy these moments when they happen because you don’t know when the next victory will come.” – Rafael Nadal.

“I feel privileged to be Spanish and to have teammates like these.” – Fernando Verdasco, who was half of Spain’s winning doubles team against the Czech Republic.

“I dreamt of this career, I dreamt of winning a Grand Slam title. I lifted trophies in every city in the world and I lived 10 magical and unbelievable years.” – Amelie Mauresmo, announcing her retirement from tennis.

“Amelie was one of the most gifted players we had to play the sport. She had all the shots and it was only fitting she realized her dream and talent by winning Wimbledon. We shared a great rivalry.” – Kim Clijsters.

“Amelie will go down in history as one of the best players of her generation and a terrific ambassador for women’s tennis. Amelie is an extraordinary player, one of the nicest and friendliest personalities on Tour, and a true champion both in tennis and in life.” – Stacey Allaster, WTA Tour chairperson.

“It’s a shame I couldn’t finish today because it was great tennis we were playing. I felt great, there was a great atmosphere and everything was just right. The day was right, the hour right, the moment right. Everything felt right except for my right leg.” – Goran Ivanisevic, who retired from a match against Patrick Rafter when he aggravated an existing hamstring injury.

“It’s not the way you want to win. We were actually having a really good match out there. We both went at it really hard. I was really pumped up and we both wanted to play really well. It was just one of those unfortunate incidents that happen with old men.” – Patrick Rafter.

SPANISH GOLD

Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer were spotless in leading Spain to its second straight Davis Cup title, this time blanking the Czech Republic 5-0 in the final. Nadal and Ferrer both won their two singles matches at the Palau Sant Jordi, and Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco teamed up to win the doubles as Spain became the first nation to retain the title since Sweden in 1998. Since Spain clinched the title with its doubles victory, the Czechs rested their top players in the reverse singles as Nadal beat Jan Hajek 6-3 6-4 and Ferrer beat Lukas Dlouhy 6-4 6-2. Hajek replaced Radek Stepanek and Dlouhy subbed for Tomas Berdych. Spain has now won 18 straight Davis Cup ties at home – a streak stretching back to 1999 – and 20 straight on clay. There have been 23 previous final sweeps, the last being Sweden’s 5-0 victory over the United States in 1997.

SAYING GOODBYE

Amelie Mauresmo has called it a career. The two-time Grand Slam tournament champion retired from tennis, saying she no longer had a burning desire for competition. “I don’t want to train anymore,” the 30-year-old Frenchwoman said. “I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grew older, it’s more difficult to stay at the top.” In 2006, Mauresmo won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Two years earlier, she reached number one in the world for the first time. She finishes this year at number 21. “It’s a bit sad, but this is the right decision,” Mauresmo said. “I was lucky enough to have an exceptional career and to experience very strong feelings on the court.” She played her last match at the US Open, where she lost in the second round to Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak. Fittingly, Mauresmo’s 25th and last singles title – her first in almost two years – came in Paris this year. She led France to the Fed Cup title in 2003 and won the season-ending WTA Tour Championships in 2005.

SLAPPED WITH FINE, PROBATION

Serena Williams was fined a record USD $82,500 for her tirade against a lineswoman at the US Open. She also could be suspended from the US Open if she has another “major offense” at any Grand Slam tournament in the next two years. Grand Slam administrator Bill Babock said if the world’s top-ranked woman player has another “major offense” at one of the four major tournaments during a two-year “probationary period,” the fine would increase to USD $175,000. Prior to this, the highest fine levied for a Grand Slam tournament offense was USD $48,000 assessed against Jeff Tarango in the 1990s. After the fine and probationary period was announced, Williams said in a statement: “I am thankful that we now have closure on the incident and we can all move forward. I am back in training in preparation for next season and I continue to be grateful for all the support from my fans and the tennis community.” The American earned USD $350,000 by reaching the singles semifinals at the US Open and has won more than USD $6.5 million in prize money in 2009, a single-season record for women’s tennis. Her career prize money tops USD $28 million. Babcock said the highest possible fine that Williams could face – USD $175,000 – was chosen because it is the difference in winnings between reaching the US Open quarterfinals and semifinals. The USTA already fined Williams USD $10,000, the reason she is paying half of USD $165,000 now.

SUPER SENIORS

It was just like old times for Pat Rafter, who teamed up with Stefan Edberg to put on a display of spell-binding serve-and-volley games in the title match of the AEGON Masters Tennis at Royal Albert Hall in London. And at the end, it was Rafter the winner, 6-7 (5) 6-4 11-9 (Champions tiebreak), in a match that showed fans how tennis used to be played. Age may have been a factor as the 36-year-old Australian outlasted his 43-year-old Swedish opponent. “This tournament has been unreal,” Rafter said. “It’s a great venue and I’ve been really excited to play here. At the same time it’s been great to catch up with my old mates again, and if they invite me back here next year I’ll be back.”

SENOR AWARD WINNER

The 2009 Davis Cup Award of Excellence has been presented to Manuel Orantes during a special on-court ceremony at the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas World Group final in Barcelona, Spain. The award was presented to Orantes by the president of the International Tennis Federation (ITF), Francesco Ricci Bitti, and Hall of Famer Manolo Santana. “Manuel has always been one of the great ambassadors of tennis and we are proud to recognize his contributions to the game, and in particular to the Davis Cup, in which he competed for his country for 14 years,” Ricci Bitti said. Orantes was a member of the Spanish Davis Cup team from 1967 to 1980. He was ranked number two in the world in 1973 and won 33 tournaments during his career, including the 1975 US Open when he defeated Jimmy Connors in the final. Past recipients of the Davis Cup Award of Excellence include Neale Fraser, Pierre Darmon, John Newcombe, Santana, Miloslav Mecir, Goran Ivanisevic, Alex Metreveli, Stan Smith and Guillermo Vilas.

STARS IN NEW YORK

It was such a smashing success this year that the Billie Jean King Cup will return to New York City’s Madison Square Garden on March 1, 2010. Sisters Serena and Venus Williams will be joined by US Open champion Kim Clijsters and French Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova in the second edition of the one-day exhibition. There will be one-set semifinals followed by a three-set final, all with no ad scoring. In this year’s final, Serena beat her sister Venus. Serena won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, meaning the event will feature the winners of all four 2009 Grand Slam tournaments. The event offers USD $1.2 million in prize money.

SUPPORTS ANTI-TERRORISM

Sania Mirza of India has backed an anti-terrorism event held in New Delhi, India’s capital. Mirza was among a bevy of eminent figures from the worlds of sports, arts and civil society who took part in the hour-long ceremony, which was organized by India’s home ministry under the theme “A Nation In Solidarity Against Terror.” The event was held 12 months after a four-day terrorist siege across Mumbai resulted in at least 173 people killed and more than 300 injured. Besides Mirza, others supporting the measure include Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Kahn, Olympic gold medalist shooter Abhinav Bindra and violinist L Subramaniam. At the Australian Open in January, Mirza became the first woman from India to win a Grand Slam tournament title when she teamed with fellow Indian Mahesh Bhupathi to capture the mixed doubles. In 2008, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from a university in the city of Chennai.

SPECIAL HONOR

Gustavo Kuerten, a three-time French Open champion, is the recipient of the Cruz do Merito Desportivo (Cross of Sporting Merit), the highest honor a Brazilian athlete can receive. The 33-year-old Kuerten will receive the medal from Brazilian President Lula Da Silva and sports minister Orlando Silva at the Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil. It is the second time Kuerten will receive the award, which is divided into two honors. He first received the medal in 2004, when he returned from representing Brazil at the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.

SERENA TO SYDNEY

Serena Williams has confirmed her participation in the Sydney International, a lead-up to the Australian Open. The world’s top-ranked woman will be seeking to defend her Australian Open title in Melbourne, and will begin her warm-up by playing in Sydney. “Serena is a genuine superstar in world sport and we are delighted that she has re-confirmed her commitment,” said Sydney International tournament director Craig Watson.

SIGNED UP

Young American Melanie Oudin will begin her 2010 season at the Hobart International. Ranked 49th in the world, Oudin joins Australians Alicia Molik and Jelena Dokic in the draw. Earlier this year Oudin reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals at the US Open, and posted victories over two former world number ones, Jelena Jankovic and Maria Sharapova.

SWEENEY REPORT

The most popular sport in Australia is tennis. The latest Sweeney Sport Report showed the Australian public preferred tennis over any other sport with an interest level of 58 percent. Tennis also ranked first in television viewing, third in participation and tied for fifth in attendance in Australia. Sweeney has surveyed Australians’ sporting interests for the last 23 years and publishes the results twice a year.

SET FOR NEWPORT

Former champion Taylor Dent will be returning to Newport, Rhode Island, USA, to compete in the 2010 Campbell’s Hall of Fame Tennis Championships. The July 5-11 tournament will be played at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, with the semifinals being held on the same day as the ceremonies for the 2010 inductees into the Hall. Dent won Newport in 2002, defeating fellow American James Blake in the final. But that was before he underwent several back operations. He is currently ranked 75th in the world and, as a wild card entry, reached the third round of the US Open in 2009 where he lost to Andy Murray.

SAN JOSE-BOUND

Pete Sampras is heading back to San Jose, California, USA, yet again. SAP Open tournament officials said Sampras will kick off February’s tournament with an exhibition match against Spain’s Fernando Verdasco. The last two years, Sampras has played Tommy Haas in exhibitions at the tournament. Besides Verdasco, others already in the field include Andy Roddick, Lleyton Hewitt, Mardy Fish and Haas.

SWINGING FOR $$$$

The largest annual international team competition in sport, the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas, also is a money winner. According to a report commissioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), Davis Cup generates an annual economic impact of USD $184 million. In 2009, the competition had 125 nations contesting 83 individual ties around the world. It also generates around USD $53 million in commercial income for the ITF and participating nations each year. The report, “The Davis Cup Economic Survey,” was produced by London-based independent financial forecasters Fathom Consulting.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Salzburg: Philipp Marx and Igor Zelenay beat Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana 6-4 7-5

Khanty-Mansiysk: Marcel Granollers and Gerard Granollers-Pujol beat Evgeny Kirillov and Andrey Kuznetsov 6-3 6-2

SITES TO SURF

Dubai: www.dubaitennis.com

ITF: www.itftennis.com/

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

(All money in USD)

WTA

$100,000 Farum ITF, Farum, Denmark, hard

$75,000 Al Habtoor Tennis Challenge, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, hard