Tim Henman’s Grand Slam tennis career is over, ending with a second-round loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the U.S. Open on Friday night. Henman, a six-time major semifinalist who is retiring next month, lost 7-6 (2), 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. “I’ve had a fantastic career,” Henman said. “Playing in front of crowds like this make it so special to the players and that’s something I’ll miss.” He turns 33 next month…

Already dealing with a gambling investigation, the men’s tennis tour is confronting another issue facing the sport by instituting fines and suspensions for players who fail to show up at top tournaments without a good excuse. “We’re going to be fair here. Players have expressed concerns about this. This is not the best news they’ve ever had,” ATP chairman Etienne de Villiers said Friday at the U.S.

Just as he has done a couple of times a day, every day, during the U.S. Open, Rafael Nadal showed up Friday morning at a midtown Manhattan hotel room to meet with the man with the laser. Panicked by the pain in his left knee, Nadal turned to Pier Francesco Parra, an Italian surgeon who has used his laser treatments to cure what ails dozens of tennis starts, soccer players and Olympic skiing…

Donald Young of the United States moved into the third round of the U.S. Open on a walkover Thursday when No. 13-seeded Richard Gasquet of France withdrew because of a fever and a sore throat. “With my illness, I’m sure I can’t win this match,” Gasquet said. “I am really, really disappointed because it’s an important tournament for me.” Young, the 18-year-old Wimbledon junior champion, will now meet…

Marat Safin has won two Grand Slams, more money than he knows what to do with, 15 titles around the world and smashed untold rackets. It’s an ongoing tennis career worthy of celebrating as he moves closer to retiring than returning to No. 1 in the world. Yet as he struggles to string two singles wins together and his title drought approaches three years, Safin isn’t ready to reflect on a…

Autograph requests come in all shapes and forms. U.S. Open contender Ana Ivanovic has had some dazzlers. One man asked the 19-year-old rising star to sign his underwear. Another this week wanted her signature on his forehead. “I was like, are you kidding?” she said with a laugh. “I didn’t (sign his head).

Laughing on his way out the door, Justin Gimelstob said goodbye to the U.S. Open and hello to a future TV career all at once Tuesday night. The 30-year-old American is retiring after a 12-year run in professional tennis that included two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles with Venus Williams — and nowhere near that sort of success in singles.

Thanks to Donald Young and John Isner, the future of American men’s tennis looked brighter, at least for a day. The two wild-card recipients knocked off much higher-ranked opponents Monday at the U.S. Open, both earning their first Grand Slam victories. “I love winning. … Just want to taste it and just keep winning,” said Young, who turned 18 last month.

A white towel over his shoulders and a grim look on his face, Nikolay Davydenko autographed three balls and hit them into the stands Monday after winning his first-round match at the U.S. Open. The man at the center of tennis’ gambling probe, the No. 4-ranked Davydenko has plenty on his mind besides smacking fuzzy yellow spheres these days.

Silly as it sounds nowadays, there was a time when some in the tennis world wondered whether Roger Federer was equipped to handle the U.S. Open. Even Federer himself harbored doubts. It took him longer, after all, to get past the fourth round at this Grand Slam tournament than any other. “Hey, New York is a crazy place,” he said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

James Blake beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2) in a match that ended just after midnight Saturday morning to set up an all-American final at the Pilot Pen. Blake will play his best friend on tour, Mardy Fish, for the title. Fish beat hard-serving Croat Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (3), 6-4 to advance to his first final this year.

Top-50 player Gael Monfils of France pulled out of the U.S. Open on Thursday with a right hamstring injury. Monfils, once ranked as high as No. 23 and currently No. 44, will be replaced in the draw by a player who lost in qualifying. The 20-year-old Monfils, who won three junior Grand Slam titles in 2004, is considered an up-and-coming star on tour.

The U.S. Open hired a security firm run by a former New York City police commissioner, set up a whistle-blower hotline and is taking other steps to make sure it doesn’t wind up with a gambling scandal. In the wake of a recent betting investigation in tennis and a former NBA referee’s admission he gambled on games he officiated, the U.S.

Venus Williams wants to leave the U.S. Open crowd in stitches — her own. When the Wimbledon winner steps onto the court Monday night, she’ll be wearing an outfit and shoes from her new EleVen label. Williams has become the latest celebrity to join forces with budget-minded retailer Steve & Barry’s. The deal was announced Thursday, ahead of the tournament she’s already won twice.

British tennis star Tim Henman will play his final Grand Slam at the U.S. Open and then retire in September after the Davis Cup playoff. The 32-year-old Henman, who reached four Wimbledon semifinals but never won a Grand Slam title in his 14-year career, cited a sore back and bad knee Thursday for his decision to leave after the Davis Cup playoff at the All England Club.