Lindsay Davenport says she wanted to talk Venus and Serena Williams into taking part in the next round of Fed Cup — but failed. Davenport will lead the U.S. team that faces Russia late next month in Moscow. She said she lobbied Venus Williams about playing when they crossed paths at a tournament in Memphis last month.

Tennis pros James Blake and Sam Querrey staged their own home run derby Saturday before the Florida Marlins’ exhibition game against the New York Yankees. The two Americans, in town for the Sony Ericsson Open in nearby Key Biscayne, connected on batting-practice pitches from Marlins hitting coach Jim Presley.

Tennis Star Takes Her Game to the Runway Host: CHERYL CORLEY Time 09:00-10:00 AM Play Audio CHERYL CORLEY, host: Tennis star Venus Williams is one of the best known athletes of our time. But tennis is not her only game. In August, Williams launched a new clothing, footwear and accessories line

Publication: NPR Tell Me More

Top-ranked Justine Henin received the WTA Tour player of the year award for the second time in her career Thursday. Henin won 10 of the 14 events she entered in 2007, including the French and U.S. Open, and she became the first woman to earn more than $5 million in prize money. She also won the award for 2003.

Marat Safin hit another low Thursday when he lost to American qualifier Bobby Reynolds 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in the first round of the Sony Ericsson Open. Safin, a two-time Grand Slam champion, fell to 1-5 in 2008. He hasn’t won a title since the 2005 Australian Open, and his ranking has fallen from 56th to 90th since the start of the year.

Tennis Author: JOHN J. JACKSON Rev: GREG PRETTY Tennis is a game played on a rectangular court (23.7 m long and 8.2 m wide for singles play, divided into equal halves by a net 0.914 m high at the centre and 1.07 m high at the posts) by 2 players (or 4 in doubles) whose objective is to hit a

Publication: Canadian Encyclopedia

Tennis, which first came to the United States in the late 19th century, by the middle of the 20th century have become a part of a culture of health and fitness. Public programs brought tennis to children in poor neighborhoods, though those children couldn’t dream of playing in the elite clubs. One

Publication: Miami Times

Wimbledon will continue to be shown on free television in Britain through 2014 after the BBC signed a new five-year contract. The British Broadcasting Corp.’s latest agreement, announced Wednesday, incorporates exclusive live rights for TV, radio and internet, and stretches the company’s association with the grasscourt tournament to 87 years.