January 2007
Monthly Archive
Henin enjoying 28-match winning streak (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 17 Jan 2007 3:28 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Justine Henin is enjoying her 28-match winning streak while trying not to think about it too much. "I don't want to take it as an extra pressure. I have enough," the top-ranked Henin said Sunday on the eve of the Australian Open. The last time that Henin played at Melbourne Park, she left the court grimacing from an upset stomach that forced her to quit in the final against Amelie Mauresmo, sparking...
No joke this time: Blake beats Moya (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 16 Jan 2007 1:37 pm. Filed under Uncategorized.
James Blake and Carlos Moya had it all figured out. Or so they said. They met in the Sydney International final last weekend, already knowing they'd face each other in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday. At the trophy presentations, Moya joked that he and Blake had an agreement: If Blake won the Sydney title -- and he did in three sets -- Moya would win in Melbourne.
Coach Connors along for Roddick’s ride (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 15 Jan 2007 3:18 pm. Filed under Uncategorized.
Jimmy Connors was riding every point with Andy Roddick. When Roddick sent a few lobs over the head of Michael Berrer in his second-round match at the Australian Open on Wednesday, both nicking the baseline, Connors tapped himself on the forehead twice and laughed. When Roddick challenged a line call and it went in his favor, Connors shook his head, smiling broadly.
Serena wants understanding in comeback (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 15 Jan 2007 6:59 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
One match away from a chance at her eighth career Grand Slam title, Serena Williams munched on a peach and asked for some understanding. Williams, who called herself the "ultimate competitor" after she rallied to beat Israel's Shahar Peer, is trying to revive her career after playing only four tournaments last year because of lingering knee problems.
Henin agrees with WTA’s doping stance (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 15 Jan 2007 6:51 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Justine Henin agrees with WTA Tour chairman Larry Scott that players should be suspended as soon as they test positive for doping, instead of waiting for an appeal. Under current policies, once A and B samples have tested positive, an appeals hearing, often months later, is held and players are allowed to continue competing.
Spectators scuffle at Australian Open (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 15 Jan 2007 3:02 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Croatian and Serbian spectators kicked each other and used flag poles as weapons during brief scuffles Monday at the Australian Open. Police and private security guards at the year's first Grand Slam event ejected 150 people from the Melbourne Park venue after the violence, which organizers, players and community leaders condemned.
A final season begins for Clijsters (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 14 Jan 2007 2:39 pm. Filed under Uncategorized.
Kim Clijsters is 24 and looking forward to early retirement. The Belgian, seeded fourth at the Australian Open, is weary of all the injuries and intends to stop playing at the end of the year. She is ready to start a family and plans to marry Brian Lynch, an American who plays basketball in Belgium, after her final Wimbledon this summer.
ATP chief to players: show fans respect (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 14 Jan 2007 1:32 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
ATP chairman Etienne de Villiers has an edict for his elite tennis players: start treating fans with more respect. In the past week, seven players withdrew from the Sydney International. The most controversial was Russian player Nikolay Davydenko, who was later fined $10,000 for saying that it was a "small tournament" that "nobody cares about." De Villiers said he was concerned that 383 players...
Sharapova ousts Davenport at Aussie Open (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 13 Jan 2007 11:01 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Maria Sharapova looked up and spotted a 7-month-old kid staring her down. "I thought I saw her little kid giving me dirty looks," Sharapova said. The boy, Jagger, was courtside. His mom, Lindsay Davenport, winner of three Grand Slam titles and with a 19-1 record since returning to the tour, was across the net.
Hewitt faces adversity heading into Open (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 13 Jan 2007 4:18 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
He's got a calf injury, a new coach who should be on the golf course, and an extreme lack of match practice. Lleyton Hewitt says that's not enough to undermine his confidence. The former top-ranked Hewitt figures his mental toughness on the court -- and an ability to overcome some recent adversity -- will give him as good a shot as any of the top players in the Australian Open when it begins...
Serena, Sharapova ready for Aussie Open (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 13 Jan 2007 3:50 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova aren't too concerned about Justine Henin's 28-match winning streak. Both reckon they can beat anyone if they're at the top of their game, and they believe that's right where they are heading into the season's first Grand Slam. Williams, the defending Australian Open champion, is so focused that she hadn't even checked Saturday who her first-round opponent will...
Federer, Djokovic in same half of draw (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 11 Jan 2007 7:46 pm. Filed under Uncategorized.
Roger Federer, recovering from a stomach virus and out of competition since November, landed in the same half of the Australian Open draw as No. 3 Novak Djokovic and four former finalists Friday. The Grand Slam event will start Monday at Melbourne Park. Bidding for a third consecutive Australian title and 13th Grand Slam victory, Federer will open against Argentina's Diego Hartfield and could meet...
Federer, Henin named top Aussie seeds (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 11 Jan 2007 4:37 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Roger Federer and Justine Henin took the No. 1 seeds atop the Australian Open on Thursday. As usual at the season's first major event, the top 32 players have been seeded according to their world rankings. Spain's Rafael Nadal is second, followed by Serbia's Novak Djokovic on the men's side. Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova was No.
Davydenko fined $2K for lack of effort (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 11 Jan 2007 2:04 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Nikolay Davydenko, already at the center of a betting investigation, was fined $2,000 for lack of effort a loss at the St. Petersburg Open. The ATP said Friday the fourth-ranked Russian was fined for lack of "best effort" in his 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 loss Thursday to Marin Cilic. The top-seeded Davydenko won the first set in 27 minutes, but drew a rebuke from chair umpire Jean-Philippe Dercq in the third...
Venus withdraws from Australian Open (AP)
Posted by Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News on 10 Jan 2007 8:44 am. Filed under Uncategorized.
Venus Williams withdrew from the Australian Open on Wednesday because of an aggravated left wrist injury. She joins top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne on the sideline for the first Grand Slam of the season. Williams told organizers she aggravated the wrist, which kept her from playing in the Hopman Cup mixed teams competition in Perth last week.
