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Wasn’t it a few years ago that tennis pundits were questioning Serena Williams’ staying power, suggesting she didn’t take the game seriously enough, that her outside interests would prevent her from reaching her potential, that she didn’t have the fitness or tennis drive necessary to keep up with the young, hungry players rising up the ranks?
Well, here she is, arriving at the Sony Open in Key Biscayne as the No. 1 player in the world at age 31, the oldest No. 1 since the WTA rankings began in 1975. She broke the record previously shared by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, who were 30 when they were ranked on top.
Consider that Williams’ pro career has spanned three decades. She won her first title in 1999 at age 17.
Williams is coming off a year in which she went on a 26-1 run to win Wimbledon, the Olympic gold medal and the U.S. Open, bringing her Grand Slam title total to 15. She became the first 30-year-old woman to win the U.S. Open since Navratilova in 1987 and the first woman to surpass $40 million in earnings.
Making it all the more remarkable is the fact that Williams was off the tour for 10 months between the summers of 2010 and 2011. She cut her feet on broken glass at a restaurant in Germany a few days after winning the 2010 Wimbledon title and required two operations on her right foot, which remained in a cast much of the year.
She then developed blood clots in her lungs and had a few scary visits to the emergency room.
“There were times I thought the hill seemed nearly impossible to climb,” Williams said by phone last week. “During that whole time, I wasn’t even thinking about reaching No. 1 again. Wasn’t thinking about tennis. I was just thinking about getting up out of bed. Then, when I came back in the summer of 2011, I started playing really, really well. I thought, ‘OK, I can play tennis again.’
“I started setting short-term goals. Get back to the top 10. Pass this person. Be the best American. Little by little, I climbed my way back. It feels good to be No. 1 again. I feel I should be here.”
ESPN commentator Patrick McEnroe is not surprised Williams is still around, and sitting atop the women’s game again.
“I remember four or five years ago, sitting on the set at the French Open, when Serena was making one of her many comebacks, and I got the sense she was serious about tennis, was going to commit, and I said at the time that she is capable of having a second part of her career like Andre Agassi did,” McEnroe said. “Technically, Serena’s a great player. She hits as clean as Agassi, has all the weapons, a great serve, she’s a great competitor. She just had to commit to being in shape and play enough tournaments to keep her ranking up.
“When she’s on, there aren’t many players who can stay with her. Injuries are the only thing that could keep her back.”
Williams has not abandoned her outside interests and still likes to have fun. She recently posed for a glamour photo leaning on a Bentley outside the St. Regis hotel in New York. She was in Chicago on Feb. 28 with First lady Michelle Obama and Nike executives for a program to get schoolchildren more active.
On March 1, she made headlines when she was scolded by a security guard as she tried to snap a photo of Tiger Woods from the gallery at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens.
Read more here: Serena Williams puts tennis first in successful second act - Tennis - MiamiHerald-com
Well, here she is, arriving at the Sony Open in Key Biscayne as the No. 1 player in the world at age 31, the oldest No. 1 since the WTA rankings began in 1975. She broke the record previously shared by Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, who were 30 when they were ranked on top.
Consider that Williams’ pro career has spanned three decades. She won her first title in 1999 at age 17.
Williams is coming off a year in which she went on a 26-1 run to win Wimbledon, the Olympic gold medal and the U.S. Open, bringing her Grand Slam title total to 15. She became the first 30-year-old woman to win the U.S. Open since Navratilova in 1987 and the first woman to surpass $40 million in earnings.
Making it all the more remarkable is the fact that Williams was off the tour for 10 months between the summers of 2010 and 2011. She cut her feet on broken glass at a restaurant in Germany a few days after winning the 2010 Wimbledon title and required two operations on her right foot, which remained in a cast much of the year.
She then developed blood clots in her lungs and had a few scary visits to the emergency room.
“There were times I thought the hill seemed nearly impossible to climb,” Williams said by phone last week. “During that whole time, I wasn’t even thinking about reaching No. 1 again. Wasn’t thinking about tennis. I was just thinking about getting up out of bed. Then, when I came back in the summer of 2011, I started playing really, really well. I thought, ‘OK, I can play tennis again.’
“I started setting short-term goals. Get back to the top 10. Pass this person. Be the best American. Little by little, I climbed my way back. It feels good to be No. 1 again. I feel I should be here.”
ESPN commentator Patrick McEnroe is not surprised Williams is still around, and sitting atop the women’s game again.
“I remember four or five years ago, sitting on the set at the French Open, when Serena was making one of her many comebacks, and I got the sense she was serious about tennis, was going to commit, and I said at the time that she is capable of having a second part of her career like Andre Agassi did,” McEnroe said. “Technically, Serena’s a great player. She hits as clean as Agassi, has all the weapons, a great serve, she’s a great competitor. She just had to commit to being in shape and play enough tournaments to keep her ranking up.
“When she’s on, there aren’t many players who can stay with her. Injuries are the only thing that could keep her back.”
Williams has not abandoned her outside interests and still likes to have fun. She recently posed for a glamour photo leaning on a Bentley outside the St. Regis hotel in New York. She was in Chicago on Feb. 28 with First lady Michelle Obama and Nike executives for a program to get schoolchildren more active.
On March 1, she made headlines when she was scolded by a security guard as she tried to snap a photo of Tiger Woods from the gallery at the Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens.
Read more here: Serena Williams puts tennis first in successful second act - Tennis - MiamiHerald-com
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2006/12/07
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The U.S. Open tennis Grand Slam will almost double its player prize money to $50 million by 2017, the Associated Press reported.
The New York tournament, one of tennis’ four annual majors, also plans to switch back to a Sunday men’s final in 2015 after having it on Monday in 2013 and 2014, the AP said, citing United States Tennis Association officials it didn’t identify.
The tournament, which runs for two weeks in August and September at the National Tennis Center, offered prize money of $25.5 million last year, the AP said, and will pay out $33.6 million this year.
The USTA plans to announce the changes today, the AP reported. USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier didn’t respond to an e- mail sent late last night seeking comment.
The New York tournament, one of tennis’ four annual majors, also plans to switch back to a Sunday men’s final in 2015 after having it on Monday in 2013 and 2014, the AP said, citing United States Tennis Association officials it didn’t identify.
The tournament, which runs for two weeks in August and September at the National Tennis Center, offered prize money of $25.5 million last year, the AP said, and will pay out $33.6 million this year.
The USTA plans to announce the changes today, the AP reported. USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier didn’t respond to an e- mail sent late last night seeking comment.
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Lleyton Hewitt is savouring his first win at the prestigious Miami Masters in four injury-plagued years.
Hewitt advanced to the second round of the so-called ``fifth major'' with a 6-1 7-6 (7-3) victory over Joao Sousa of Portugal on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old wildcard next plays 11th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon, but fellow Australian Marinko Matosevic is out after falling in three sets to Israeli Dudi Sela.
Matosevic lost 6-2 1-6 6-4.
Bernard Tomic plays Frenchman Marc Gicquel for the right to take on British second seed Andy Murray in the second round.
Samantha Stosur has pulled out of the women's event with a calf injury.
For Hewitt, it was another chance to prove that despite multiple injuries and potential career-ending surgeries, he's not quite ready to call it quits.
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His latest victory came just over a week after the former world No.1 scored a confidence-building win against top-25 player John Isner at Indian Wells.
"The last surgery I had, if I didn't have it done, I would have had to retire anyway,'' said Hewitt, who has endured hip and foot procedures over the course of the past three years.
"People still thought I wouldn't be able to come back and play tennis anyway. I did all the rehab and everything that I possibly could.
"And for me, if you miss it when you are doing rehab and getting back, then you obviously know your motivation is still there.''
Hewitt, who powered 11 aces on Wednesday, showed he is still driven.
After a 38-minute first set, he fought off a stubborn Sousa, who was faced with elimination twice but played aggressively when down.
"I watched a little bit of footage of him at the Australian Open this year. But apart from that, I didn't really know how he played,'' said Hewitt.
"He played way better every time he was behind in the match. "Whenever he'd get back on serve in the second set, he actually played worse. When he was behind, he sort of just went for it.''
Hewitt wins, Matosevic loses | Tennis | Fox Sports
Hewitt advanced to the second round of the so-called ``fifth major'' with a 6-1 7-6 (7-3) victory over Joao Sousa of Portugal on Wednesday.
The 32-year-old wildcard next plays 11th-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon, but fellow Australian Marinko Matosevic is out after falling in three sets to Israeli Dudi Sela.
Matosevic lost 6-2 1-6 6-4.
Bernard Tomic plays Frenchman Marc Gicquel for the right to take on British second seed Andy Murray in the second round.
Samantha Stosur has pulled out of the women's event with a calf injury.
For Hewitt, it was another chance to prove that despite multiple injuries and potential career-ending surgeries, he's not quite ready to call it quits.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
His latest victory came just over a week after the former world No.1 scored a confidence-building win against top-25 player John Isner at Indian Wells.
"The last surgery I had, if I didn't have it done, I would have had to retire anyway,'' said Hewitt, who has endured hip and foot procedures over the course of the past three years.
"People still thought I wouldn't be able to come back and play tennis anyway. I did all the rehab and everything that I possibly could.
"And for me, if you miss it when you are doing rehab and getting back, then you obviously know your motivation is still there.''
Hewitt, who powered 11 aces on Wednesday, showed he is still driven.
After a 38-minute first set, he fought off a stubborn Sousa, who was faced with elimination twice but played aggressively when down.
"I watched a little bit of footage of him at the Australian Open this year. But apart from that, I didn't really know how he played,'' said Hewitt.
"He played way better every time he was behind in the match. "Whenever he'd get back on serve in the second set, he actually played worse. When he was behind, he sort of just went for it.''
Hewitt wins, Matosevic loses | Tennis | Fox Sports
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2006/12/07
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Former tennis star Jennifer Capriati has been charged after police said she punched her ex-boyfriend on Valentine’s Day while he was working out at a gym.
Palm Beach County court records show Capriati was charged by prosecutors on Wednesday.
She has been issued a summons to appear before a judge on April 17 on stalking and battery charges, though she has not been arrested.
North Palm Beach police say Ivan Brannan was working out when the 36-year-old Capriati approached him and yelled at him.
Mr Brannan told police that he tried to get away by walking to the men’s changing room, but Capriati blocked his path and punched him in the chest.
Mr Brannan told police he and Capriati broke up in 2012 and that she has harassed and stalked him since then.
Palm Beach County court records show Capriati was charged by prosecutors on Wednesday.
She has been issued a summons to appear before a judge on April 17 on stalking and battery charges, though she has not been arrested.
North Palm Beach police say Ivan Brannan was working out when the 36-year-old Capriati approached him and yelled at him.
Mr Brannan told police that he tried to get away by walking to the men’s changing room, but Capriati blocked his path and punched him in the chest.
Mr Brannan told police he and Capriati broke up in 2012 and that she has harassed and stalked him since then.
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Djokovic, playing in the late night match, cruised to a 6-1 6-0 victory over Lukas Rosol.
But former US Open champion Del Potro suffered a surprise 7-6 6-1 loss to Germany's Tobias Kamke.
The towering Argentine had two set points in the opening set but lost his way just a week after making the men's final at Indian Wells.
"He didn't play obviously his best tennis," said Kamke. "But still I think I did a good job and pretty satisfied with that."
Spain's David Ferrer, the men's third seed, had an easier time. He won in a walkover when Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov pulled out.
Ferrer had been granted a first-round bye and will face Fabio Fognini for a place in the last 16 after the Italian beat Michael Llodra of France 6-4 6-1.
Seventh seed Janko Tipsarevic eased into the third round with a straight-sets defeat of Dudi Sela.
The Serb, ranked ninth in the world, converted four of his five break points to win 6-2 6-4 while saving five of Israeli qualifier Sela's six.
He will next face giant South African Kevin Anderson, ranked 26th, after his 6-3 7-6(4) win over Horacio Zeballos of Argentina.
Tommy Haas was made to work for victory over Igor Sijsling as the German triumphed 6-0 5-7 6-3.
Germany’s 15th seed Haas took a first-set bagel but dropped serve for the first and only time late in the second set. Haas broke his opponent again in the third to close out victory in just under an hour and a half.
It was the eighth time Haas reached the third round at Crandon Park. He will face Alexandr Dolgopolov after the Ukrainian beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-3.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori cruised into the third round with a 6-3 6-3 win over Victor Hanescu of Romania. The 13th seed broke Hanescu five times to claim victory in an hour and 20 minutes.
Nishikori will face Belgium’s Xavier Malisse in the third round after he beat 22nd seeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3 6-2.
Miami Masters second-round results:
Somdev Devvarman (India) beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France) 4-6 6-4 7-5
1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-0
26-Kevin Anderson (South Africa) beat Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) 6-3 7-6(4)
11-Gilles Simon (France) beat Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 6-3 6-3
Tobias Kamke (Germany) beat 5-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) 7-6(5) 6-1
19-Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) beat Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 6-2 6-3
James Blake (U.S.) beat 24-Julien Benneteau (France) 6-2 6-3
7-Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) beat Dudi Sela (Israel) 6-2 6-4
Albert Ramos (Spain) beat 12-Juan Monaco (Argentina) 6-2 4-6 6-3
32-Fabio Fognini (Italy) beat Michael Llodra (France) 6-4 6-1
Jurgen Melzer (Austria) beat 31-Marcel Granollers (Spain) 6-3 6-4
Grega Zemlja (Slovenia) beat 23-Florian Mayer (Germany) 6-3 7-6(3)
3-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Dmitry Tursunov (Russia)WO
15-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) 6-0 5-7 6-3
13-Kei Nishikori (Japan) beat Victor Hanescu (Romania) 6-3 6-3
Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat 22-Jeremy Chardy (France) 6-3 6-2
Tennis - Djokovic wins as Del Potro falls in Miami - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
But former US Open champion Del Potro suffered a surprise 7-6 6-1 loss to Germany's Tobias Kamke.
The towering Argentine had two set points in the opening set but lost his way just a week after making the men's final at Indian Wells.
"He didn't play obviously his best tennis," said Kamke. "But still I think I did a good job and pretty satisfied with that."
Spain's David Ferrer, the men's third seed, had an easier time. He won in a walkover when Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov pulled out.
Ferrer had been granted a first-round bye and will face Fabio Fognini for a place in the last 16 after the Italian beat Michael Llodra of France 6-4 6-1.
Seventh seed Janko Tipsarevic eased into the third round with a straight-sets defeat of Dudi Sela.
The Serb, ranked ninth in the world, converted four of his five break points to win 6-2 6-4 while saving five of Israeli qualifier Sela's six.
He will next face giant South African Kevin Anderson, ranked 26th, after his 6-3 7-6(4) win over Horacio Zeballos of Argentina.
Tommy Haas was made to work for victory over Igor Sijsling as the German triumphed 6-0 5-7 6-3.
Germany’s 15th seed Haas took a first-set bagel but dropped serve for the first and only time late in the second set. Haas broke his opponent again in the third to close out victory in just under an hour and a half.
It was the eighth time Haas reached the third round at Crandon Park. He will face Alexandr Dolgopolov after the Ukrainian beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-3.
Japan’s Kei Nishikori cruised into the third round with a 6-3 6-3 win over Victor Hanescu of Romania. The 13th seed broke Hanescu five times to claim victory in an hour and 20 minutes.
Nishikori will face Belgium’s Xavier Malisse in the third round after he beat 22nd seeded Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3 6-2.
Miami Masters second-round results:
Somdev Devvarman (India) beat Edouard Roger-Vasselin (France) 4-6 6-4 7-5
1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) beat Lukas Rosol (Czech Republic) 6-1 6-0
26-Kevin Anderson (South Africa) beat Horacio Zeballos (Argentina) 6-3 7-6(4)
11-Gilles Simon (France) beat Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) 6-3 6-3
Tobias Kamke (Germany) beat 5-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) 7-6(5) 6-1
19-Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) beat Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 6-2 6-3
James Blake (U.S.) beat 24-Julien Benneteau (France) 6-2 6-3
7-Janko Tipsarevic (Serbia) beat Dudi Sela (Israel) 6-2 6-4
Albert Ramos (Spain) beat 12-Juan Monaco (Argentina) 6-2 4-6 6-3
32-Fabio Fognini (Italy) beat Michael Llodra (France) 6-4 6-1
Jurgen Melzer (Austria) beat 31-Marcel Granollers (Spain) 6-3 6-4
Grega Zemlja (Slovenia) beat 23-Florian Mayer (Germany) 6-3 7-6(3)
3-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Dmitry Tursunov (Russia)WO
15-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Igor Sijsling (Netherlands) 6-0 5-7 6-3
13-Kei Nishikori (Japan) beat Victor Hanescu (Romania) 6-3 6-3
Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat 22-Jeremy Chardy (France) 6-3 6-2
Tennis - Djokovic wins as Del Potro falls in Miami - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
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It is the photo of the exuberant 15-year-old, decked out in red, white, and blue, cheering on top of the medal stand after winning the gold medal in Barcelona? The triumphant comeback kid, who won her first Grand Slam title in 2001, 11 years after her Grand Slam debut and the lowest seed to ever win the Australian Open? Or was it just eight months ago, when the tearful 36-year-old tennis pro accepted her induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, proclaiming, “This is one milestone I thought I’d never achieve”?
More likely, Capriati’s legacy will be all those reasons she thought she’d never make it to that milestone. Every moral and professional victory in her career has reliably been accompanied by tragic personal drama. The latest setback: Capriati was charged with battery and stalking stemming from a Valentine’s Day incident with her ex-boyfriend. From shoplifting to marijuana charges, the image of Tennis’s Sweetheart, turned Tennis’s Cinderella Story, turned Tennis’s Bold Survivor has always been tarnished by controversy.
She was the kind of girl inspirational books are written about, whom Wheaties boxes were invented to feature, whom Sports Illustrated exists to have on its cover. The definition of a prodigy, Capriati went pro at age 13. By 14, she reached the semifinals of the French Open, becoming the youngest person to be ranked in the Top 10. Then the golden moment: the underdog 15-year-old defeats world powerhouse Steffi Graf to win the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.
From there, the story could have gone two ways: cue the patriotic music for the inspirational montage about the star-is-born moment and the sunny career that followed, or fade into the ominous piano twinkling for the True Hollywood Story about how quickly things crumbled. For Capriati, it was the latter. The troubled-teen downward spiral was almost cliché. At age 17 she was arrested for shoplifting. A drug arrest, of course, followed. Charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession, Capriati, 18, agreed to enter a drug-counseling program. She played only one match that year, and lost. She became unranked. Four months later, she sat down with The New York Times to confess that the rapid flame-out of her career and just-as-swift explosion of her celebrity led her to contemplate suicide. There were body image issues: “When I looked in my mirror, I actually saw this distorted image: I was so ugly and fat, I just wanted to kill myself, really.”
Gone were the Sports Illustrated covers. This was National Enquirer’s new headline star.
But the True Hollywood Story continues: the second act.
She returned to tennis in 1996, playing doggedly with bursts of greatness but mostly embarrassment. By 1998, she was ranked below 200. Then, things turned. She reached the final four of the 2000 Australian Open, her first Grand Slam semifinal in nine years. The next year, she won the tournament—her first Grand Slam title. She followed it up with a French Open victory. By the end of the year, she was ranked No. 1.
The nation cheered its emboldened Cinderella in a tennis skirt, the girl who conquered her demons to return stronger than ever. Once again she was a media darling, not its punching bag. She won the ESPY for Comeback Player of the Year in 2002. Among the nominees she beat: some guy named Michael Jordan.
The glory, again, was fleeting. The ultimate rehabilitation story reverted to cautionary tale after multiple injuries forced her out of the WTA Tour at the end of 2004. After a frustrating six years off the court that she loved, Capriati suffered a drug overdose in 2010. After she recovered from the incident, it seemed that Capriati again had put her off-court troubles behind her. A career of ups and downs culminated into the athlete’s ultimate triumph when she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. “It’s been quite a journey,” she said, choking back tears as she remembered being thrust into the spotlight fresh out of the eighth grade, winning a gold medal, and all the troubles that followed. “This is so great for me because it’s putting a lot of closure to my career and I’m able to move forward, give thanks, take thanks, give the honor and take the honor, and just be acknowledged here. It means everything to me.”
The moment was the epitome of triumph—if only Capriati really had been able to move forward. She’s been ordered to appear in court next month to answer allegations that she sent hundreds of texts to her ex-boyfriend and punched him four times outside a Florida gym. Her attorney, calls the allegations “nonsense” and says Capriati will “of course enter a plea of not guilty.”
Capriati herself has not responded to requests for comment, but she appears to have addressed the allegations on her Twitter account. “All of this is absurd,” she tweeted. “I’m outraged by the media, by my ex, the false accusations, not being able to say the truth, Lyme disease, my injuries.”
The allegations may very well be false, but that doesn’t make them any less disappointing. This True Hollywood Story already had its perfect ending: that eloquent, emotional, speech from a survivor this summer at the Hall of Fame.
Now the last words come in the form of a frenzied tweet, and a sad, ominous “to be continued…”
Jennifer Capriati
More likely, Capriati’s legacy will be all those reasons she thought she’d never make it to that milestone. Every moral and professional victory in her career has reliably been accompanied by tragic personal drama. The latest setback: Capriati was charged with battery and stalking stemming from a Valentine’s Day incident with her ex-boyfriend. From shoplifting to marijuana charges, the image of Tennis’s Sweetheart, turned Tennis’s Cinderella Story, turned Tennis’s Bold Survivor has always been tarnished by controversy.
She was the kind of girl inspirational books are written about, whom Wheaties boxes were invented to feature, whom Sports Illustrated exists to have on its cover. The definition of a prodigy, Capriati went pro at age 13. By 14, she reached the semifinals of the French Open, becoming the youngest person to be ranked in the Top 10. Then the golden moment: the underdog 15-year-old defeats world powerhouse Steffi Graf to win the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Barcelona.
From there, the story could have gone two ways: cue the patriotic music for the inspirational montage about the star-is-born moment and the sunny career that followed, or fade into the ominous piano twinkling for the True Hollywood Story about how quickly things crumbled. For Capriati, it was the latter. The troubled-teen downward spiral was almost cliché. At age 17 she was arrested for shoplifting. A drug arrest, of course, followed. Charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession, Capriati, 18, agreed to enter a drug-counseling program. She played only one match that year, and lost. She became unranked. Four months later, she sat down with The New York Times to confess that the rapid flame-out of her career and just-as-swift explosion of her celebrity led her to contemplate suicide. There were body image issues: “When I looked in my mirror, I actually saw this distorted image: I was so ugly and fat, I just wanted to kill myself, really.”
Gone were the Sports Illustrated covers. This was National Enquirer’s new headline star.
But the True Hollywood Story continues: the second act.
She returned to tennis in 1996, playing doggedly with bursts of greatness but mostly embarrassment. By 1998, she was ranked below 200. Then, things turned. She reached the final four of the 2000 Australian Open, her first Grand Slam semifinal in nine years. The next year, she won the tournament—her first Grand Slam title. She followed it up with a French Open victory. By the end of the year, she was ranked No. 1.
The nation cheered its emboldened Cinderella in a tennis skirt, the girl who conquered her demons to return stronger than ever. Once again she was a media darling, not its punching bag. She won the ESPY for Comeback Player of the Year in 2002. Among the nominees she beat: some guy named Michael Jordan.
The glory, again, was fleeting. The ultimate rehabilitation story reverted to cautionary tale after multiple injuries forced her out of the WTA Tour at the end of 2004. After a frustrating six years off the court that she loved, Capriati suffered a drug overdose in 2010. After she recovered from the incident, it seemed that Capriati again had put her off-court troubles behind her. A career of ups and downs culminated into the athlete’s ultimate triumph when she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. “It’s been quite a journey,” she said, choking back tears as she remembered being thrust into the spotlight fresh out of the eighth grade, winning a gold medal, and all the troubles that followed. “This is so great for me because it’s putting a lot of closure to my career and I’m able to move forward, give thanks, take thanks, give the honor and take the honor, and just be acknowledged here. It means everything to me.”
The moment was the epitome of triumph—if only Capriati really had been able to move forward. She’s been ordered to appear in court next month to answer allegations that she sent hundreds of texts to her ex-boyfriend and punched him four times outside a Florida gym. Her attorney, calls the allegations “nonsense” and says Capriati will “of course enter a plea of not guilty.”
Capriati herself has not responded to requests for comment, but she appears to have addressed the allegations on her Twitter account. “All of this is absurd,” she tweeted. “I’m outraged by the media, by my ex, the false accusations, not being able to say the truth, Lyme disease, my injuries.”
The allegations may very well be false, but that doesn’t make them any less disappointing. This True Hollywood Story already had its perfect ending: that eloquent, emotional, speech from a survivor this summer at the Hall of Fame.
Now the last words come in the form of a frenzied tweet, and a sad, ominous “to be continued…”
Jennifer Capriati
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2006/12/07
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World number one Novak Djokovic and Russian Maria Sharapova shook off windy conditions to move into the fourth round of the Sony Open at Miami on Sunday (Monday, PHL time).
Serb Djokovic posted a 6-2 6-4 victory over India's Somdev Devvarman and Sharapova turned back fellow Russian Elena Vesnina 6-4 6-2.
Djkovic's win set up a clash with German Tommy Haas, who beat Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 6-2.
"It was very difficult to kind of get into a rhythm because you couldn't really serve at 100 percent," Djokovic, the two-time defending champion, told reporters.
"You had to go more for precision and put twice as much effort into the step adjustments because of the windy conditions. All in all, I'm just happy to get through the rough day."
The top-seeded Serb took 28 of his 31 first-serve points and faced just one break point in the 68-minute victory.
Haas, seeded 15th, moved through to the fourth round for the first time since 2001. He hit 13 aces and saved seven of the eight break points against his serve.
"He's probably one of the most experienced active players in the world now," Djokovic said of the German. "He can play equally well on any surface."
Spain's world number five David Ferrer outlasted Italian Fabio Fognini 6-1 7-5 and Japan's Kei Nishikori, Ferrer's next opponent, beat Xavier Malisse of Belgium 6-2 7-5.
World number two Sharapova, who is on an eight-match winning streak, fell behind 3-1 in the first set but won 11 of the next 14 games to advance in straight sets.
"It wasn't easy for the both of us with the heat and the wind," Sharapova said. "It was just one of those days where you know you might not be playing your best tennis. I certainly wasn't today."
The third seed next faces Czech Klara Zakopalova, who beat Russia's Maria Kirilenko 6-2 7-6.
Romanian Sorana Cirstea pulled off Sunday's biggest surprise, taking out sixth seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4 6-0.
After Kerber held at 4-4, Cirstea won eight games in a row - and lost just seven points in those eight games.
"I didn't have any expectations coming into this tournament because I've never played that well in Miami," Cirstea said.
"But I've been fighting the best I could and working my way through every single match, and it's working."
She draws former finalist Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, a 7-6 6-4 winner over Russian Nadia Petrova.
Tennis: Djokovic and Sharapova win at windy Miami | Sports | GMA News Online
Serb Djokovic posted a 6-2 6-4 victory over India's Somdev Devvarman and Sharapova turned back fellow Russian Elena Vesnina 6-4 6-2.
Djkovic's win set up a clash with German Tommy Haas, who beat Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 6-2.
"It was very difficult to kind of get into a rhythm because you couldn't really serve at 100 percent," Djokovic, the two-time defending champion, told reporters.
"You had to go more for precision and put twice as much effort into the step adjustments because of the windy conditions. All in all, I'm just happy to get through the rough day."
The top-seeded Serb took 28 of his 31 first-serve points and faced just one break point in the 68-minute victory.
Haas, seeded 15th, moved through to the fourth round for the first time since 2001. He hit 13 aces and saved seven of the eight break points against his serve.
"He's probably one of the most experienced active players in the world now," Djokovic said of the German. "He can play equally well on any surface."
Spain's world number five David Ferrer outlasted Italian Fabio Fognini 6-1 7-5 and Japan's Kei Nishikori, Ferrer's next opponent, beat Xavier Malisse of Belgium 6-2 7-5.
World number two Sharapova, who is on an eight-match winning streak, fell behind 3-1 in the first set but won 11 of the next 14 games to advance in straight sets.
"It wasn't easy for the both of us with the heat and the wind," Sharapova said. "It was just one of those days where you know you might not be playing your best tennis. I certainly wasn't today."
The third seed next faces Czech Klara Zakopalova, who beat Russia's Maria Kirilenko 6-2 7-6.
Romanian Sorana Cirstea pulled off Sunday's biggest surprise, taking out sixth seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4 6-0.
After Kerber held at 4-4, Cirstea won eight games in a row - and lost just seven points in those eight games.
"I didn't have any expectations coming into this tournament because I've never played that well in Miami," Cirstea said.
"But I've been fighting the best I could and working my way through every single match, and it's working."
She draws former finalist Jelena Jankovic of Serbia, a 7-6 6-4 winner over Russian Nadia Petrova.
Tennis: Djokovic and Sharapova win at windy Miami | Sports | GMA News Online
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The biggest grand slam of Rod Laver's life had nothing to do with major tennis tournaments.
He met Mary Shelby Peterson at the Jack Kramer Tennis Club. Then, in 1966, at a church in San Rafael, he changed that to Mary Shelby Laver.
Game, set, match. They left the marriage ceremony by walking under an arch of tennis rackets formed by, among others, tennis greats Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Mal Anderson and Barry MacKay.
When Mary died Nov. 12 at their home in Carlsbad, they had had 46 years of marriage and Laver had a hole in his heart the size of a tennis ball.
"We had a wonderful life," he says now, and often. She was 84, Laver is 74.
Back then, he was the sports hero from far-off Australia. She was a divorced mom, born in Illinois, knowing little about tennis, and with three kids. She had gone to the Kramer club to watch swimming. He was there to play a tennis match.
"We hit it off, right away," he says.
Laver won all four Grand Slam tournaments in 1962 as an amateur, then did it again in 1969 in the Open era. Nobody has done that, nor probably ever will again. He has been credited with 200 titles. Nobody has done that, nor probably will.
When the tennis ended, with Laver standing across the net from an 18-year-old named Bjorn Borg in the late 1970s and realizing, "I was 38, I could stay with him, but I couldn't beat him," there was plenty left, because of Mary.
Her three children, Ron, Steve and Ann, joined with Rod and Mary's son, Rick, for life after tennis. Mary was in control. According to her daughter, Ann Bennett, Mary was always in control.
"One time, to show how she always ran everything," Ann says, "we gave her a train conductor's uniform, including the conductor's cap."
The Lavers lived in homes from Rancho Mirage to Corona del Mar to a ranch near Santa Barbara. "My mother liked to decorate," says Ann. "A new house meant new decorations."
She also was good with numbers. Laver's career, even at a time when the huge money was not being paid in tennis, produced those good numbers. Mary invested them, without computers and only exhaustive research and good instincts.
"My mother took a lot of good money," says son Rick Laver, "and turned it into a whole lot of good money."
Mary's husband was an international sports icon. Still is. Much of the world just called him "Rocket." Still does. He went into the Hall of Fame in 1981. The Australian Open's main stadium is Rod Laver Arena. The country has even designated him an Australian Living Treasure.
But when the Australian Living Treasure almost lost the middle word of that designation to a serious stroke in 1998, Mary became the treasure.
She battled for his healthcare, challenged nurses about an inoperative ice bed when his fever got to 106. She moved near UCLA, where Laver would remain hospitalized for a month. She sat for hours, while he tore pages out of magazines with his right hand and tossed them into a wastebasket for therapy.
Laver recovered fully. No more 18-year-old Borgs to battle in tennis, but his golf game returned. Soon, Mary was hit with a series of serious health problems, including breast cancer and several heart attacks. Then, four years ago, peripheral neuropathy took over her body. It is a complicated condition, often manifesting itself in burning nerve endings in hands and feet.
Laver became the caregiver.
"It never was like, now it is your turn," Laver says. "She never said anything like that." The world traveler became a homebody and wanted it no other way. Laver spent hours rubbing heat and pain out of her feet, filling buckets with ice for those feet, giving her nine pills a day of vitamin D to calm her nerve endings, even holding special lighting on painful areas to stimulate blood flow.
"Sometimes, we would put an ice pack on her head," Laver says. "It would melt almost immediately."
There was no specific cause of death, just an accumulation of everything. Ann says her family had seen her, was around her, and she was ready.
Since November, Laver has ventured out just a little, to his brother's 80th birthday party in Australia, to the Indian Wells tournament.
"I can get out now," he says, "but I don't want to."
Words on the back page of the program from Mary's memorial service nudge him: "Miss me a little, but not too long."
Tennis great Rod Laver loses his partner in life - latimes-com
He met Mary Shelby Peterson at the Jack Kramer Tennis Club. Then, in 1966, at a church in San Rafael, he changed that to Mary Shelby Laver.
Game, set, match. They left the marriage ceremony by walking under an arch of tennis rackets formed by, among others, tennis greats Lew Hoad, Ken Rosewall, Mal Anderson and Barry MacKay.
When Mary died Nov. 12 at their home in Carlsbad, they had had 46 years of marriage and Laver had a hole in his heart the size of a tennis ball.
"We had a wonderful life," he says now, and often. She was 84, Laver is 74.
Back then, he was the sports hero from far-off Australia. She was a divorced mom, born in Illinois, knowing little about tennis, and with three kids. She had gone to the Kramer club to watch swimming. He was there to play a tennis match.
"We hit it off, right away," he says.
Laver won all four Grand Slam tournaments in 1962 as an amateur, then did it again in 1969 in the Open era. Nobody has done that, nor probably ever will again. He has been credited with 200 titles. Nobody has done that, nor probably will.
When the tennis ended, with Laver standing across the net from an 18-year-old named Bjorn Borg in the late 1970s and realizing, "I was 38, I could stay with him, but I couldn't beat him," there was plenty left, because of Mary.
Her three children, Ron, Steve and Ann, joined with Rod and Mary's son, Rick, for life after tennis. Mary was in control. According to her daughter, Ann Bennett, Mary was always in control.
"One time, to show how she always ran everything," Ann says, "we gave her a train conductor's uniform, including the conductor's cap."
The Lavers lived in homes from Rancho Mirage to Corona del Mar to a ranch near Santa Barbara. "My mother liked to decorate," says Ann. "A new house meant new decorations."
She also was good with numbers. Laver's career, even at a time when the huge money was not being paid in tennis, produced those good numbers. Mary invested them, without computers and only exhaustive research and good instincts.
"My mother took a lot of good money," says son Rick Laver, "and turned it into a whole lot of good money."
Mary's husband was an international sports icon. Still is. Much of the world just called him "Rocket." Still does. He went into the Hall of Fame in 1981. The Australian Open's main stadium is Rod Laver Arena. The country has even designated him an Australian Living Treasure.
But when the Australian Living Treasure almost lost the middle word of that designation to a serious stroke in 1998, Mary became the treasure.
She battled for his healthcare, challenged nurses about an inoperative ice bed when his fever got to 106. She moved near UCLA, where Laver would remain hospitalized for a month. She sat for hours, while he tore pages out of magazines with his right hand and tossed them into a wastebasket for therapy.
Laver recovered fully. No more 18-year-old Borgs to battle in tennis, but his golf game returned. Soon, Mary was hit with a series of serious health problems, including breast cancer and several heart attacks. Then, four years ago, peripheral neuropathy took over her body. It is a complicated condition, often manifesting itself in burning nerve endings in hands and feet.
Laver became the caregiver.
"It never was like, now it is your turn," Laver says. "She never said anything like that." The world traveler became a homebody and wanted it no other way. Laver spent hours rubbing heat and pain out of her feet, filling buckets with ice for those feet, giving her nine pills a day of vitamin D to calm her nerve endings, even holding special lighting on painful areas to stimulate blood flow.
"Sometimes, we would put an ice pack on her head," Laver says. "It would melt almost immediately."
There was no specific cause of death, just an accumulation of everything. Ann says her family had seen her, was around her, and she was ready.
Since November, Laver has ventured out just a little, to his brother's 80th birthday party in Australia, to the Indian Wells tournament.
"I can get out now," he says, "but I don't want to."
Words on the back page of the program from Mary's memorial service nudge him: "Miss me a little, but not too long."
Tennis great Rod Laver loses his partner in life - latimes-com
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World number one Novak Djokovic crashed out of the Miami Masters in the fourth round on Tuesday, losing in straight sets 6-2, 6-4 to German 15th seed Tommy Haas.
Defending champ Djokovic lost for just the second time this season, never getting to grips with Haas, who kept the Serb off his game with a solid mixture of shots on a cool southern Florida evening.
"There are days when you don't feel good on the court and this is one of those days," Djokovic said.
"All the credit to him. He was the better player. As far I am concerned it is the worst match I have played in a long time.
"I just didn't feel good on the court. The conditions were different. The balls didn't bounce at all and he used a variety of shots very well.
"I just didn't find a solution to come back into the match. I made so many unforced errors on the forehand side."
Haas, who turns 35 next week, advances to the quarter-finals where he will face Frenchman Gilles Simon who outlasted Djokovic's countryman Janko Tipsarevic 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
Haas hit seven forehand winners and won 76 percent of his first-serve points, snapping Djokovic's 14-match winning streak in Miami.
Haas easily won the first set then clinched the victory on his second match point with a forehand winner to the open court, ending the one hour, 20 minute match on centre court.
Haas has won three of seven career meetings with Djokovic but this was his first win on the hardcourts with his other two coming on grass.
Djokovic, who had won this event three times (2007, 2011, 2012), had one double fault and won just 54 percent of his second serves.
Tennis: Germany's Haas stuns Djokovic at Miami tennis
Defending champ Djokovic lost for just the second time this season, never getting to grips with Haas, who kept the Serb off his game with a solid mixture of shots on a cool southern Florida evening.
"There are days when you don't feel good on the court and this is one of those days," Djokovic said.
"All the credit to him. He was the better player. As far I am concerned it is the worst match I have played in a long time.
"I just didn't feel good on the court. The conditions were different. The balls didn't bounce at all and he used a variety of shots very well.
"I just didn't find a solution to come back into the match. I made so many unforced errors on the forehand side."
Haas, who turns 35 next week, advances to the quarter-finals where he will face Frenchman Gilles Simon who outlasted Djokovic's countryman Janko Tipsarevic 5-7, 6-2, 6-2.
Haas hit seven forehand winners and won 76 percent of his first-serve points, snapping Djokovic's 14-match winning streak in Miami.
Haas easily won the first set then clinched the victory on his second match point with a forehand winner to the open court, ending the one hour, 20 minute match on centre court.
Haas has won three of seven career meetings with Djokovic but this was his first win on the hardcourts with his other two coming on grass.
Djokovic, who had won this event three times (2007, 2011, 2012), had one double fault and won just 54 percent of his second serves.
Tennis: Germany's Haas stuns Djokovic at Miami tennis
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Maria Sharapova kept her quest for a first Miami title on track Wednesday with a hard-fought 7-5, 7-5 quarter-final triumph over Italy's Sara Errani.
"With all the tournaments I have played, this one I have been so successful at but yet I haven't won it," said Sharapova, a four-time finalist at the Miami WTA and ATP Masters hardcourt tournament but never the winner.
"I've been so close to winning," she said. "I would love to win this. I've been coming to this tournament since I was a little kid. It would mean a lot to win it."
Sharapova will battle for a place in the final against 22nd-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic.
Former world No. 1 Jankovic defeated Italian Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3.
The other women's semi-final was set on Tuesday, with world No. 1 and top seed Serena Williams advancing to take on defending champion and fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
Third-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer led the way into the men's semis as he rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over unseeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer.
Ferrer, winner of two titles already this year at Auckland and Buenos Aires, steadied after an erratic first set and eventually cruised through the third to improve to 7-2 against the Austrian left-hander.
"I was a little bit nervous in the first set and part of the second, but I tried to fight every point, to be focused, and I had a good feeling in the end of the second set and of course in the third one," Ferrer said.
Ferrer next faces Germany's giant-killer Tommy Haas, who defeated France's Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-1.
Haas, at 34 the oldest player ranked in the top 50 in the world, showed no sign of a letdown a day after he toppled world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the fourth round. The 15th-seeded Haas dispatched 11th-seeded Simon in 64 minutes, never facing a break point.
"I used my chances right away in the second set and took that momentum," he said. "Again, I played the way I wanted to, using my all-around game and variety. I think I did that pretty well tonight."
Sharapova had her struggles against eighth-seeded Errani, the same woman Sharapova beat in last year's French Open final to complete a career Grand Slam.
Sharapova fired six aces, but also had 14 double faults.
Trailing 4-5 in the second, Sharapova saved three set points to knot the set at 5-5. She then broke Errani in the penultimate game and held serve to end it on a forehand winner after two hours and 29 minutes.
Although she was pleased to wrap it up in two sets, Sharapova said she should have sealed it even sooner after twice going up a break in the second set.
"Of course it's great that I was able to come back, but I felt like I made things much more difficult than they should have been," she said.
Sharapova lost to Kim Clijsters in the 2005 Miami final, to Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2006, Victoria Azarenka in 2011 and Radwanska last year - all in straight sets.
Not only is she trying to fill that gap on her resume, she's trying to become just the third woman to win both the prestigious Indian Wells and Miami hardcourt titles in the same year.
German great Steffi Graf accomplished the feat in 1994 and 1996, and Clijsters did so in 2005.
"I think it's one of the toughest back to backs of the year," Sharapova said. "It's the amount of matches. It's also the late matches that you're playing, the recovery.
"Also coming from different coasts. I mean, it's not just a hop. It's a five-hour flight."
Tennis: Sharapova keeps Miami title quest on track
"With all the tournaments I have played, this one I have been so successful at but yet I haven't won it," said Sharapova, a four-time finalist at the Miami WTA and ATP Masters hardcourt tournament but never the winner.
"I've been so close to winning," she said. "I would love to win this. I've been coming to this tournament since I was a little kid. It would mean a lot to win it."
Sharapova will battle for a place in the final against 22nd-seeded Serbian Jelena Jankovic.
Former world No. 1 Jankovic defeated Italian Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3.
The other women's semi-final was set on Tuesday, with world No. 1 and top seed Serena Williams advancing to take on defending champion and fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.
Third-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer led the way into the men's semis as he rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over unseeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer.
Ferrer, winner of two titles already this year at Auckland and Buenos Aires, steadied after an erratic first set and eventually cruised through the third to improve to 7-2 against the Austrian left-hander.
"I was a little bit nervous in the first set and part of the second, but I tried to fight every point, to be focused, and I had a good feeling in the end of the second set and of course in the third one," Ferrer said.
Ferrer next faces Germany's giant-killer Tommy Haas, who defeated France's Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-1.
Haas, at 34 the oldest player ranked in the top 50 in the world, showed no sign of a letdown a day after he toppled world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the fourth round. The 15th-seeded Haas dispatched 11th-seeded Simon in 64 minutes, never facing a break point.
"I used my chances right away in the second set and took that momentum," he said. "Again, I played the way I wanted to, using my all-around game and variety. I think I did that pretty well tonight."
Sharapova had her struggles against eighth-seeded Errani, the same woman Sharapova beat in last year's French Open final to complete a career Grand Slam.
Sharapova fired six aces, but also had 14 double faults.
Trailing 4-5 in the second, Sharapova saved three set points to knot the set at 5-5. She then broke Errani in the penultimate game and held serve to end it on a forehand winner after two hours and 29 minutes.
Although she was pleased to wrap it up in two sets, Sharapova said she should have sealed it even sooner after twice going up a break in the second set.
"Of course it's great that I was able to come back, but I felt like I made things much more difficult than they should have been," she said.
Sharapova lost to Kim Clijsters in the 2005 Miami final, to Svetlana Kuznetsova in 2006, Victoria Azarenka in 2011 and Radwanska last year - all in straight sets.
Not only is she trying to fill that gap on her resume, she's trying to become just the third woman to win both the prestigious Indian Wells and Miami hardcourt titles in the same year.
German great Steffi Graf accomplished the feat in 1994 and 1996, and Clijsters did so in 2005.
"I think it's one of the toughest back to backs of the year," Sharapova said. "It's the amount of matches. It's also the late matches that you're playing, the recovery.
"Also coming from different coasts. I mean, it's not just a hop. It's a five-hour flight."
Tennis: Sharapova keeps Miami title quest on track
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Williams needed just 65 minutes to deal with fourth seeded defending champion Agnieska Radwanska 6-0 6-3, while Sharapova, who won at Indian Wells earlier this month, demolished Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 6-2 6-1.
Sharapova extended her winning streak to 11 matches with a lopsided win in just over an hour against Jankovic, a former world number one struggling to regain her best.
The Russian's win was in stark contrast to her quarter-final victory over Sara Errani, where she made 57 unforced errors including 13 double-faults. She only double-faulted twice in this match.
''I just really thought I needed to step it up from my last match and play a little better,'' Sharapova said.
''I was really happy with the way I focused.''
Despite Sharapova's good form, Williams will start as clear favourite in Saturday's final - she is 11-2 in meetings with the Russian and has won the last 10 matches between the pair.
Williams, seeking a record sixth Miami title, is relishing the chance of taking on the woman directly below her in the world rankings.
"I love playing her. I love seeing her on the opposite side because she just brings out a good game. I just like the challenge of playing someone who has made history and who is doing so well," the American said.
"She's been playing awesome. I definitely expect a tough match."
One of just 10 women who have won all four Grand Slams, Sharapova has been collecting titles all over the world but has never won the Sony Open, played in her home state of Florida, despite playing four previous finals.
"It would mean so much to me," she said. "I love this city, it's the first city I landed in when I came to the United States as a little girl."
WTA Miami results
Semi-finals
1-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat 4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) 6-0 6-3
3-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat 22-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 6-2 6-1
Tennis - Sharapova to meet Serena in Miami final - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
Sharapova extended her winning streak to 11 matches with a lopsided win in just over an hour against Jankovic, a former world number one struggling to regain her best.
The Russian's win was in stark contrast to her quarter-final victory over Sara Errani, where she made 57 unforced errors including 13 double-faults. She only double-faulted twice in this match.
''I just really thought I needed to step it up from my last match and play a little better,'' Sharapova said.
''I was really happy with the way I focused.''
Despite Sharapova's good form, Williams will start as clear favourite in Saturday's final - she is 11-2 in meetings with the Russian and has won the last 10 matches between the pair.
Williams, seeking a record sixth Miami title, is relishing the chance of taking on the woman directly below her in the world rankings.
"I love playing her. I love seeing her on the opposite side because she just brings out a good game. I just like the challenge of playing someone who has made history and who is doing so well," the American said.
"She's been playing awesome. I definitely expect a tough match."
One of just 10 women who have won all four Grand Slams, Sharapova has been collecting titles all over the world but has never won the Sony Open, played in her home state of Florida, despite playing four previous finals.
"It would mean so much to me," she said. "I love this city, it's the first city I landed in when I came to the United States as a little girl."
WTA Miami results
Semi-finals
1-Serena Williams (U.S.) beat 4-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) 6-0 6-3
3-Maria Sharapova (Russia) beat 22-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) 6-2 6-1
Tennis - Sharapova to meet Serena in Miami final - Yahoo! Eurosport UK
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Friday's high school tennis results
Girls
Mountlake Terrace 5, Meadowdale 2
Singles — Nicki Bouche, MT, beat Sage Hayes, 6-1, 6-0; Tina Liu, MT, beat Rebecca Huang, 6-2, 6-1; Allison Lorraine, MT, beat Alisha Chand, 7-5, 6-2; Sunni Lee, MT beat Kaylee Cooper, 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles — Nancy Nguyen-McKayla Foe, MT, beat Diana Cho-Eva Daniggelis, 6-4, 6-3; Rebecca Simmons-Aysha Raza, MT, beat Megan Cho-Grace Huang, 6-0, 6-4; Tea Nikolie-Shannon Karnoski, MD, beat Brittany Kinsella-Madison Haney, 6-3, 7-6.
Arlington 7, Mount Vernon 0
Singles — Macy Mackey beat Brooke Emory, 6-1, 6-1; McKenna Prause beat Svea Love, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; Sierra DeCota beat Hannah Levine, 7-5, 6-4.
Doubles — Maya Manzano-Sally Hatfield beat Jenna Moores-Paige Gear, 6-3, 6-2; Hannah Scarth-Jacey Wreggelsworth beat Ali Long-Elyse Lankford, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5; Sonia Lopez-Madison Taylor beat Addi Sager-Jamie Heiner, 6-2, 6-3.
Interlake 7, Eastlake 0
Singles — Isabelle Long beat Michelle Knutson, 6-0, 6-0; Lina Larson beat Nicole Yen, 6-0, 6-0; Grace Hsieh beat Wendie Yeung, 6-0, 6-2; Chayna McDonald beat Nicole Knutson, 6-2, 6-2.
Doubles — Mesiss Long-Setareh Rock beat Neha Singh-Shabina Rayan, 6-0, 6-2; Julia Liu-Vickie Zlatinova beat Ashwathy Goutham-Amber Vanderkooi, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Shreya Singh-Makkie Lock beat Vibha Vadlamani-Allison Tran, 8-3.
Coed
Cleveland 8, Rainier Beach 3
Boys singles — Al Toto, RB, beat Thang Nguyen, 6-2, 6-0; Ashenafi Fente. RB, beat Oscar Rosas, 6-4, 6-2; Ying Yu, C, won by forfeit.
Girls singles — Lynh Tran, C, won by forfeit; Minh-Tam Pham, C, beat Cyrill Tan, 6-0, 6-0; Dign Rose Garcia, C, won by forfeit.
Boys doubles — Nathan Chong-Dennis Ho, won by forfeit; Jay Sebial-Phong Ton, C, won by forfeit.
Girls doubles — Anna Teurn-Angela Phan, C, beat Mary Nguyen-Krizten Li, 7-6(6), 6-1; Hibo Elmi-Yen Feng, RB, beat Jessica Kolish-Danica Dela Cruz, 6-1, 7-5
Mixed doubles — Kailas Cuerpo-Michelle Wassan, C, won by forfeit
Girls
Mountlake Terrace 5, Meadowdale 2
Singles — Nicki Bouche, MT, beat Sage Hayes, 6-1, 6-0; Tina Liu, MT, beat Rebecca Huang, 6-2, 6-1; Allison Lorraine, MT, beat Alisha Chand, 7-5, 6-2; Sunni Lee, MT beat Kaylee Cooper, 6-4, 6-2.
Doubles — Nancy Nguyen-McKayla Foe, MT, beat Diana Cho-Eva Daniggelis, 6-4, 6-3; Rebecca Simmons-Aysha Raza, MT, beat Megan Cho-Grace Huang, 6-0, 6-4; Tea Nikolie-Shannon Karnoski, MD, beat Brittany Kinsella-Madison Haney, 6-3, 7-6.
Arlington 7, Mount Vernon 0
Singles — Macy Mackey beat Brooke Emory, 6-1, 6-1; McKenna Prause beat Svea Love, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; Sierra DeCota beat Hannah Levine, 7-5, 6-4.
Doubles — Maya Manzano-Sally Hatfield beat Jenna Moores-Paige Gear, 6-3, 6-2; Hannah Scarth-Jacey Wreggelsworth beat Ali Long-Elyse Lankford, 3-6, 7-5, 7-5; Sonia Lopez-Madison Taylor beat Addi Sager-Jamie Heiner, 6-2, 6-3.
Interlake 7, Eastlake 0
Singles — Isabelle Long beat Michelle Knutson, 6-0, 6-0; Lina Larson beat Nicole Yen, 6-0, 6-0; Grace Hsieh beat Wendie Yeung, 6-0, 6-2; Chayna McDonald beat Nicole Knutson, 6-2, 6-2.
Doubles — Mesiss Long-Setareh Rock beat Neha Singh-Shabina Rayan, 6-0, 6-2; Julia Liu-Vickie Zlatinova beat Ashwathy Goutham-Amber Vanderkooi, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Shreya Singh-Makkie Lock beat Vibha Vadlamani-Allison Tran, 8-3.
Coed
Cleveland 8, Rainier Beach 3
Boys singles — Al Toto, RB, beat Thang Nguyen, 6-2, 6-0; Ashenafi Fente. RB, beat Oscar Rosas, 6-4, 6-2; Ying Yu, C, won by forfeit.
Girls singles — Lynh Tran, C, won by forfeit; Minh-Tam Pham, C, beat Cyrill Tan, 6-0, 6-0; Dign Rose Garcia, C, won by forfeit.
Boys doubles — Nathan Chong-Dennis Ho, won by forfeit; Jay Sebial-Phong Ton, C, won by forfeit.
Girls doubles — Anna Teurn-Angela Phan, C, beat Mary Nguyen-Krizten Li, 7-6(6), 6-1; Hibo Elmi-Yen Feng, RB, beat Jessica Kolish-Danica Dela Cruz, 6-1, 7-5
Mixed doubles — Kailas Cuerpo-Michelle Wassan, C, won by forfeit
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It looked like it couldn’t get much worse for Serena Williams. She trailed Maria Sharapova by a set, and the Russian had just broken her previous service game. The score was 2-2, and Williams stood at the service notch on the north end of the stadium in Crandon Park, the sun so dazzling that she was making test tosses of the ball as Sharapova prepared to receive.
Williams tossed the ball three, four, times. Hit it? She couldn’t even catch it consistently; during the fourth dress rehearsal, the ball glanced off her hand and dribbled to the court. She tried to tap it up with her racquet face. The ball squirted away. Williams scowled. All along, she’d been bearish, undemonstrative to the point of appearing like her mind was elsewhere. It looked like she might just drop her racquet and walk away.
Sharapova hunched down into her receiving position; it was time to bury the dagger to the hilt. To beat Serena. To become only the third woman in WTA history to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double. (The other two? Steffi Graf and Kim Clijsters).
Serena tossed the ball for real—but caught it again. She muttered, “Sorry.” It looked like it couldn’t get much worse for Williams. It got worse for Williams.
Sharapova broke her again, to take a 3-2 lead, and suddenly Williams’ eight-year, 10-match winning streak seemed in serious jeopardy. But as anyone in tennis can tell you, just when it looks like it can’t get any worse for Serena, the immediate future has a strange way of turning as rosy as a south Florida sunset.
“I felt like I was just making so many errors,” Williams said of that juncture. “And I just was like, ‘Serena, are you really going to get to the final and not play up to your potential?’ I don’t think I was as energized as I could be. I didn’t think I had enough energy. . . I was just like. . . ‘Conserve your energy and try and relax and play better.’
Was it too little, too late? Sharapova was just three games from the finish line and utterly in control of the match. But then she faltered—with considerable help from Williams, who suddenly found the energy to hit a pair of groundstroke winners (one forehand, one backhand), and then a forcing backhand that Sharapova couldn’t handle.
It was 0-40, and that finish line suddenly looked like it had receded to the far horizon. Sharapova made a forehand error on the next point to hand over a break. Neither player knew, or might have guessed, that Sharapova had won her last game.
Thinking back on the game that opened the floodgates which resulted in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 Williams triumph, Sharapova said:
“After I broke her, I lost that next game pretty quickly—I think it was a 40-15 game (sic). So that was pretty fast, but I thought I still had opportunities to get back in the set at 3-4. I was up 40-15 and Love-30 (on her serve) in the next games. Those are the games that you really need, to keep challenging out there and keep being in them, because those are the chances that you will have and that you will have to take if you want to win the match.”
Well, yes. And that’s the way Sharapova must look at it. On the other hand, how can you rationalize being up a set and a break, and then losing 10 straight games? It’s unheard of, for a player of Sharapova’s caliber.
To her credit, Sharapova wouldn’t blame it on fatigue, even though she was riding an 11-match, 23-set winning streak and trying to win back-to-back combined event titles. “I feel fine,” she said. “I’m very happy, very fortunate that I’ve been able to play probably the most that any player has played in the last month. I have had a really great month and a great tournament here. I think I can only take positives out of it, really.”
The only hint of what might lay in store as the match began on this bright day was Williams’ continuing history of, well, poor housekeeping. She’s been given to merely answering “present” at the coin toss, and soon thereafter finding herself deep in a hole of her own digging. It happened again this week, in her third-round match with Dominika Cibulkova.
It looked like the same thing was about to go down again in the early stages of this match, but against a far more capable player. Each woman held serve to start, but the third game turned into a bitter tug-of-war that included eight deuces. As Williams said later, “I think it was almost 20 minutes before the game was over, and I thought, ‘That’s sometimes a first set for me. I need to win this game.’ I like to win those games—or at least try.”
That game ended on script, with a Williams hold. But her energy level didn’t benefit from any adrenalin rush; in fact, Williams didn’t grunt, scream, thrust a fist, or shout, ‘Come on!’ until she won the fourth game of the final set—long after the most critical moments in the match.
Williams was broken when she next served in the first set, and again in the ninth game, enabling Sharapova to serve it out. The No. 3 seed did it convincingly, without allowing a point. She sustained her momentum as the second set got underway.
“Maria played really the best I have seen her play,” Serena said afterward. “I think she was moving unbelievable, and she was hitting winners from everywhere. You know, I think after the first set I had over 20 unforced errors. I just thought, why am I playing like this? Yeah, it definitely is a way to be like, ‘How did I end up winning this?’”
That question is bound to haunt Sharapova in the wake of the fightback Williams mounted. But Sharapova met the question, and all its implications, with her best and bravest face. It has to be dispiriting to be playing so well, to be so far up, and then to lose the last 10 games. But instead of appearing dejected or making excuses, Sharapova said, “I certainly put myself in a much better position (to win) today.”
Sharapova won’t say it, and at this point it would be borderline rude to bring it up in conversation with her. But the reality is that she desperately needs
Williams tossed the ball three, four, times. Hit it? She couldn’t even catch it consistently; during the fourth dress rehearsal, the ball glanced off her hand and dribbled to the court. She tried to tap it up with her racquet face. The ball squirted away. Williams scowled. All along, she’d been bearish, undemonstrative to the point of appearing like her mind was elsewhere. It looked like she might just drop her racquet and walk away.
Sharapova hunched down into her receiving position; it was time to bury the dagger to the hilt. To beat Serena. To become only the third woman in WTA history to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double. (The other two? Steffi Graf and Kim Clijsters).
Serena tossed the ball for real—but caught it again. She muttered, “Sorry.” It looked like it couldn’t get much worse for Williams. It got worse for Williams.
Sharapova broke her again, to take a 3-2 lead, and suddenly Williams’ eight-year, 10-match winning streak seemed in serious jeopardy. But as anyone in tennis can tell you, just when it looks like it can’t get any worse for Serena, the immediate future has a strange way of turning as rosy as a south Florida sunset.
“I felt like I was just making so many errors,” Williams said of that juncture. “And I just was like, ‘Serena, are you really going to get to the final and not play up to your potential?’ I don’t think I was as energized as I could be. I didn’t think I had enough energy. . . I was just like. . . ‘Conserve your energy and try and relax and play better.’
Was it too little, too late? Sharapova was just three games from the finish line and utterly in control of the match. But then she faltered—with considerable help from Williams, who suddenly found the energy to hit a pair of groundstroke winners (one forehand, one backhand), and then a forcing backhand that Sharapova couldn’t handle.
It was 0-40, and that finish line suddenly looked like it had receded to the far horizon. Sharapova made a forehand error on the next point to hand over a break. Neither player knew, or might have guessed, that Sharapova had won her last game.
Thinking back on the game that opened the floodgates which resulted in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 Williams triumph, Sharapova said:
“After I broke her, I lost that next game pretty quickly—I think it was a 40-15 game (sic). So that was pretty fast, but I thought I still had opportunities to get back in the set at 3-4. I was up 40-15 and Love-30 (on her serve) in the next games. Those are the games that you really need, to keep challenging out there and keep being in them, because those are the chances that you will have and that you will have to take if you want to win the match.”
Well, yes. And that’s the way Sharapova must look at it. On the other hand, how can you rationalize being up a set and a break, and then losing 10 straight games? It’s unheard of, for a player of Sharapova’s caliber.
To her credit, Sharapova wouldn’t blame it on fatigue, even though she was riding an 11-match, 23-set winning streak and trying to win back-to-back combined event titles. “I feel fine,” she said. “I’m very happy, very fortunate that I’ve been able to play probably the most that any player has played in the last month. I have had a really great month and a great tournament here. I think I can only take positives out of it, really.”
The only hint of what might lay in store as the match began on this bright day was Williams’ continuing history of, well, poor housekeeping. She’s been given to merely answering “present” at the coin toss, and soon thereafter finding herself deep in a hole of her own digging. It happened again this week, in her third-round match with Dominika Cibulkova.
It looked like the same thing was about to go down again in the early stages of this match, but against a far more capable player. Each woman held serve to start, but the third game turned into a bitter tug-of-war that included eight deuces. As Williams said later, “I think it was almost 20 minutes before the game was over, and I thought, ‘That’s sometimes a first set for me. I need to win this game.’ I like to win those games—or at least try.”
That game ended on script, with a Williams hold. But her energy level didn’t benefit from any adrenalin rush; in fact, Williams didn’t grunt, scream, thrust a fist, or shout, ‘Come on!’ until she won the fourth game of the final set—long after the most critical moments in the match.
Williams was broken when she next served in the first set, and again in the ninth game, enabling Sharapova to serve it out. The No. 3 seed did it convincingly, without allowing a point. She sustained her momentum as the second set got underway.
“Maria played really the best I have seen her play,” Serena said afterward. “I think she was moving unbelievable, and she was hitting winners from everywhere. You know, I think after the first set I had over 20 unforced errors. I just thought, why am I playing like this? Yeah, it definitely is a way to be like, ‘How did I end up winning this?’”
That question is bound to haunt Sharapova in the wake of the fightback Williams mounted. But Sharapova met the question, and all its implications, with her best and bravest face. It has to be dispiriting to be playing so well, to be so far up, and then to lose the last 10 games. But instead of appearing dejected or making excuses, Sharapova said, “I certainly put myself in a much better position (to win) today.”
Sharapova won’t say it, and at this point it would be borderline rude to bring it up in conversation with her. But the reality is that she desperately needs
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British second seed Andy Murray won the ATP Miami Masters title on Sunday, saving a match point in the penultimate game in defeating Spanish third seed David Ferrer 2-6 6-4 7-6 (7-1).
Murray captured his 26th career tour title, and second of the year having taken the Brisbane crown, after a gruelling two hours and 45 minutes.
"Both of us fought hard," Murray said.
"Both of us were struggling physically at the end. I was lucky to come through."
It was the second Miami title for Murray, who won the title in 2009 but lost last year's final to Novak Djokovic.
Murray will rise to world No.2, bumping his way ahead of Roger Federer, while Ferrer will move past Rafael Nadal to become fourth in the rankings, both men matching the best position of their careers with the improvement.
Nadal and Federer skipped this year's edition of the $US8.5 million hardcourt event in Miami, which also included a WTA event won by Serena Williams, while world No.1 Djokovic was ousted in the fourth round.
Murray, who owns a home 10 minutes from the stadium, beat Ferrer, who turns 31 on Tuesday, for the seventh time in 12 career meetings.
Ferrer's only win over Murray off clay was at the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals.
Ferrer, who has won this year at Auckland and Buenos Aires, failed in his bid to win his first US title and become the first Spaniard to win the Miami title.
He is 0-12 in finals against players ranked in the world's top four.
"I am tired. It was a very long match," Ferrer said.
"Andy had more at the end. Congratulations to him."
Ferrer, who fell to 21-5 on the season, apologised to supporters in the crowd he compared to those in his homeland for their passion, saying, ``I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. One point. Next time.''
Ferrer and Murray exchanged breaks over the first six games of the third set, then each held serve once before Murray broke Ferrer for a 5-4 edge when the Spaniard netted a forehand.
Murray served for the match but surrendered a break instead, Ferrer pulling level and then holding serve for a 6-5 advantage, both games decided when the Briton netted a forehand.
Ferrer reached match point in the 12th game on Murray's serve but stopped play on the key point to challenge on a Murray forehand that was ruled on the baseline, setting the stage for Murray to hold and force the tie-breaker.
"That's the beauty of the challenge system," Murray said.
"Some matches that would have been over. Luckily it just dropped in."
Murray roared ahead 4-0 in the tie-breaker and Ferrer collapsed to the court with a leg cramp after falling behind 5-1.
He rose but was finished two points later by the Scot on a backhand winner, Murray improving to 14-2 in the year.
"He's one of the best players in the world," Murray said of Ferrer.
"Every time I play him people expect me to win. He's a great player. He's a fighter. He didn't even play his best tennis and he still could have won the match."
Tennis: Andy Murray wins Masters title - Sport - NZ Herald News
Murray captured his 26th career tour title, and second of the year having taken the Brisbane crown, after a gruelling two hours and 45 minutes.
"Both of us fought hard," Murray said.
"Both of us were struggling physically at the end. I was lucky to come through."
It was the second Miami title for Murray, who won the title in 2009 but lost last year's final to Novak Djokovic.
Murray will rise to world No.2, bumping his way ahead of Roger Federer, while Ferrer will move past Rafael Nadal to become fourth in the rankings, both men matching the best position of their careers with the improvement.
Nadal and Federer skipped this year's edition of the $US8.5 million hardcourt event in Miami, which also included a WTA event won by Serena Williams, while world No.1 Djokovic was ousted in the fourth round.
Murray, who owns a home 10 minutes from the stadium, beat Ferrer, who turns 31 on Tuesday, for the seventh time in 12 career meetings.
Ferrer's only win over Murray off clay was at the 2011 ATP World Tour Finals.
Ferrer, who has won this year at Auckland and Buenos Aires, failed in his bid to win his first US title and become the first Spaniard to win the Miami title.
He is 0-12 in finals against players ranked in the world's top four.
"I am tired. It was a very long match," Ferrer said.
"Andy had more at the end. Congratulations to him."
Ferrer, who fell to 21-5 on the season, apologised to supporters in the crowd he compared to those in his homeland for their passion, saying, ``I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. One point. Next time.''
Ferrer and Murray exchanged breaks over the first six games of the third set, then each held serve once before Murray broke Ferrer for a 5-4 edge when the Spaniard netted a forehand.
Murray served for the match but surrendered a break instead, Ferrer pulling level and then holding serve for a 6-5 advantage, both games decided when the Briton netted a forehand.
Ferrer reached match point in the 12th game on Murray's serve but stopped play on the key point to challenge on a Murray forehand that was ruled on the baseline, setting the stage for Murray to hold and force the tie-breaker.
"That's the beauty of the challenge system," Murray said.
"Some matches that would have been over. Luckily it just dropped in."
Murray roared ahead 4-0 in the tie-breaker and Ferrer collapsed to the court with a leg cramp after falling behind 5-1.
He rose but was finished two points later by the Scot on a backhand winner, Murray improving to 14-2 in the year.
"He's one of the best players in the world," Murray said of Ferrer.
"Every time I play him people expect me to win. He's a great player. He's a fighter. He didn't even play his best tennis and he still could have won the match."
Tennis: Andy Murray wins Masters title - Sport - NZ Herald News
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The New Zealand Davis Cup tennis side might have thought safety wouldn't be an issue when their tie with Pakistan was moved to Myanmar for security reasons, but they have been watchful of snakes since arriving in the country.
New Zealand will take on Pakistan in their Asia/Oceania Group II second round contest at the Pun Hlaing Golf and Country Club in Yangon this weekend, and have been trying to get used to the grass courts there.
"There's one court which has a very 'interesting' bounce and really, overall, the courts aren't great," Marcus Daniell said. But nor is the presence of snakes.
Daniell said they had been constantly warned by workers at the country club to "be on the lookout for snakes". Myanmar is, apparently, home to the most fatal snake attacks in the world.
It's not the only thing the New Zealand team need to worry about.
The winner of this week's tie will take on either Thailand or Philippines in September's Asia/Oceania Group II final and Pakistan will present a significant challenge.
Their top player, Aisam Quershi, is currently unranked as a singles player but is No 9 in doubles and was a finalist at the 2010 US Open. He's also won seven doubles titles, including last weekend's Miami Masters with Jean-Julien Rojer.
Aqueel Khan is ranked at 1571 along with Yasir Khan at the same ranking.
The New Zealand team is made up of Dan King-Turner, Artem Sitak, Daniell and Sebastian Lavie.
"The court will be difficult to play on and will suit their serve volley player Asiam Qureshi," New Zealand captain Alistair Hunt said. "It will be difficult to hit much from back and there won't be very many chances."
"The hotel is good, but in traffic is one-and-a-half hours' drive to the courts. It's hot and humid and it will be a difficult tie against them. The Kiwi boys will have to play well."
Tennis: Snakes a threat for NZ Davis Cup side - Sport - NZ Herald News
New Zealand will take on Pakistan in their Asia/Oceania Group II second round contest at the Pun Hlaing Golf and Country Club in Yangon this weekend, and have been trying to get used to the grass courts there.
"There's one court which has a very 'interesting' bounce and really, overall, the courts aren't great," Marcus Daniell said. But nor is the presence of snakes.
Daniell said they had been constantly warned by workers at the country club to "be on the lookout for snakes". Myanmar is, apparently, home to the most fatal snake attacks in the world.
It's not the only thing the New Zealand team need to worry about.
The winner of this week's tie will take on either Thailand or Philippines in September's Asia/Oceania Group II final and Pakistan will present a significant challenge.
Their top player, Aisam Quershi, is currently unranked as a singles player but is No 9 in doubles and was a finalist at the 2010 US Open. He's also won seven doubles titles, including last weekend's Miami Masters with Jean-Julien Rojer.
Aqueel Khan is ranked at 1571 along with Yasir Khan at the same ranking.
The New Zealand team is made up of Dan King-Turner, Artem Sitak, Daniell and Sebastian Lavie.
"The court will be difficult to play on and will suit their serve volley player Asiam Qureshi," New Zealand captain Alistair Hunt said. "It will be difficult to hit much from back and there won't be very many chances."
"The hotel is good, but in traffic is one-and-a-half hours' drive to the courts. It's hot and humid and it will be a difficult tie against them. The Kiwi boys will have to play well."
Tennis: Snakes a threat for NZ Davis Cup side - Sport - NZ Herald News
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Sam Querrey and John Isner take aim at world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, whom they will face this coming weekend in Boise when the U.S. plays Serbia in a Davis Cup quarterfinal.
Both Isner and Querrey own wins over the Serbian: Isner upset him in the semifinals of the 2012 Indian Wells tournament, and Querrey beat him in the second round of the 2012 Paris Masters 1000. However, Djokovic is 2-1 against Isner, including a dramatic, five-set victory over the American in Davis Cup three years ago in Serbia on clay. Djokovic is 5-1 against Querrey and beat him in straight sets last month at Indian Wells.
"Sam and I have beaten him before and we will take the court believing we can beat him again," Isner said today.
Isner told the Idaho Statesman that his big serve will be key. As the United States' No. 2 player, he will open up against Djokovic on Friday.
"I don't want to give my opponent too much rhythm," Isner said. "I'd rather me not have rhythm as well as my opponent not have rhythm because most guys I play against want to find that groove in the match and once they do, they're very, very tough to beat. For me, I try to take that away. It's something I know I have to do against Djokovic."
tennis-com - Isner aims to take away Djokovic
Both Isner and Querrey own wins over the Serbian: Isner upset him in the semifinals of the 2012 Indian Wells tournament, and Querrey beat him in the second round of the 2012 Paris Masters 1000. However, Djokovic is 2-1 against Isner, including a dramatic, five-set victory over the American in Davis Cup three years ago in Serbia on clay. Djokovic is 5-1 against Querrey and beat him in straight sets last month at Indian Wells.
"Sam and I have beaten him before and we will take the court believing we can beat him again," Isner said today.
Isner told the Idaho Statesman that his big serve will be key. As the United States' No. 2 player, he will open up against Djokovic on Friday.
"I don't want to give my opponent too much rhythm," Isner said. "I'd rather me not have rhythm as well as my opponent not have rhythm because most guys I play against want to find that groove in the match and once they do, they're very, very tough to beat. For me, I try to take that away. It's something I know I have to do against Djokovic."
tennis-com - Isner aims to take away Djokovic
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IN A few years, she could be sharing the court with the world's top players on the other side of the net.
But, for now, Megan Hopton will be delighted to share the court with them as a ball girl. Megan, 12, of Swanland, has made it to the last 100 youngsters hoping to collect the balls at this year's Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in November.
Thousands applied for the amazing chance to share the court with stars such as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Megan, a pupil at South Hunsley School, will face the final hurdle later this month when she will be put through her paces at the final selection trial at the Northwood Health and Racquet Club in London.
On Saturday, April 13, she will face 100 others to try to secure the chance to be just one of 30 Barclays Ball Kids at the prestigious tournament, meeting three-times Wimbledon champion Boris Becker at the final selection trial in London.
Megan said: "I am very proud to have got this far and hope I can make it through.
"I have been to Wimbledon a few times and to a tournament in Barcelona.
"But it would be really inspirational to be on the same court as some of these top players.
"We saw lots of leaflets around and I was going to apply last year but something else came up.
"But this year I decided to apply."
The regional trial she took part in tested the 12 to 16-year-old applicants on their agility and balance, as well as on their speed across the court.
Co-ordination and ball skills were demonstrated with catching and throwing games.
Shuttle-running monitored their speed up and down the court and reaction times were also noted with balls coming towards them.
Megan said: "I went to Nottingham to be tested.
"It was all about balance, catching and throwing and co-ordination.
"It was quite tough and physically hard. I didn't expect it to be that difficult." Becker will be on hand to offer his advice to the finalists, chat to them about what it takes to be one of the best ball kids in the world and help pick the final squad of thirty to take to the courts at the O2 later in the year.
Megan said: "I am really looking forward to seeing Boris Becker and I hope I get the chance to meet him.
"He was a very good tennis player and he is a legend."
Megan is a promising tennis player herself and is ranked third in the country for her age group.
She is following in her sister Laura's footsteps, who is planning to move to the US to pursue her tennis career.
Megan said: "I am ranked third in the country but I have just gone up an age group so it's going to be much harder.
"I just really enjoy tennis, it's so much fun.
"I like to play from the baseline which is my strongest area but I need to work on my volleying and net play."
Megan takes inspiration from some of her favourite players.
She said: "I really like Victoria Azarenka because she is so professional and puts such effort in.
"Of course, I also like Andy Murray because he's British and also gives it everything."
East Yorkshire girl Megan Hopton hoping for Barclays ATP World Tour Finals place | This is Hull and East Riding
But, for now, Megan Hopton will be delighted to share the court with them as a ball girl. Megan, 12, of Swanland, has made it to the last 100 youngsters hoping to collect the balls at this year's Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 in November.
Thousands applied for the amazing chance to share the court with stars such as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic. Megan, a pupil at South Hunsley School, will face the final hurdle later this month when she will be put through her paces at the final selection trial at the Northwood Health and Racquet Club in London.
On Saturday, April 13, she will face 100 others to try to secure the chance to be just one of 30 Barclays Ball Kids at the prestigious tournament, meeting three-times Wimbledon champion Boris Becker at the final selection trial in London.
Megan said: "I am very proud to have got this far and hope I can make it through.
"I have been to Wimbledon a few times and to a tournament in Barcelona.
"But it would be really inspirational to be on the same court as some of these top players.
"We saw lots of leaflets around and I was going to apply last year but something else came up.
"But this year I decided to apply."
The regional trial she took part in tested the 12 to 16-year-old applicants on their agility and balance, as well as on their speed across the court.
Co-ordination and ball skills were demonstrated with catching and throwing games.
Shuttle-running monitored their speed up and down the court and reaction times were also noted with balls coming towards them.
Megan said: "I went to Nottingham to be tested.
"It was all about balance, catching and throwing and co-ordination.
"It was quite tough and physically hard. I didn't expect it to be that difficult." Becker will be on hand to offer his advice to the finalists, chat to them about what it takes to be one of the best ball kids in the world and help pick the final squad of thirty to take to the courts at the O2 later in the year.
Megan said: "I am really looking forward to seeing Boris Becker and I hope I get the chance to meet him.
"He was a very good tennis player and he is a legend."
Megan is a promising tennis player herself and is ranked third in the country for her age group.
She is following in her sister Laura's footsteps, who is planning to move to the US to pursue her tennis career.
Megan said: "I am ranked third in the country but I have just gone up an age group so it's going to be much harder.
"I just really enjoy tennis, it's so much fun.
"I like to play from the baseline which is my strongest area but I need to work on my volleying and net play."
Megan takes inspiration from some of her favourite players.
She said: "I really like Victoria Azarenka because she is so professional and puts such effort in.
"Of course, I also like Andy Murray because he's British and also gives it everything."
East Yorkshire girl Megan Hopton hoping for Barclays ATP World Tour Finals place | This is Hull and East Riding
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While Great Britain would dearly love to have Andy Murray leading their Davis Cup challenge against Russia in Coventry this weekend, the Scot, who is resting in Miami, has turned his attention further east, as his management team make a major push into the biggest untapped market in sport.
Murray, reinstated as world No2 after a brief glimpse at the top of the mountain towards the end of 2009, is recovering from the exertions of beating David Ferrer in the Miami Open final last Sunday before heading to Monte Carlo in the next few days and the start of the European clay-court season.
Last night, XIX Entertainment, which guides his career off court, announced an intriguing new partnership with Globosport, the company run by the Indian doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi, to explore business opportunities in China and India.
Bhupathi set tennis buzzing this week when it was confirmed he is chasing the signatures of the world's leading players to take part in an IPL-style tennis tournament across Asia over three weeks in the November-December break at the end of the year. Murray, it emerges, is at the heart of those plans – although, if his playing schedule grows, he might now be even further away from playing in the Davis Cup for his country.
Murray is the first signing of XIX Globosport, a company XIX's founder, Simon Fuller, has formed with Bhupathi. They said in a joint statement they are exploring "the burgeoning sports and entertainment opportunities in India and the Middle East".
The impetus has come from Fuller, who recently did a major deal with IMG for David Beckham in China. "He has a vision for this part of the world and we are excited that he has chosen to partner us," Bhupathi said. They have also brought on board the tennis agent and former Tour pro Ugo Colombini, "to provide on-the-ground tennis support and specialist resourcing" for Murray.
Murray said,: "I believe a mix of Simon's experience and Mahesh's understanding of the sport will create the perfect team for my off-court interests and will allow me to continue to dedicate myself and focus on my goals on the court."
Meanwhile, Leon Smith's Great Britain squad will need the mercurial Dan Evans, a somewhat surprise selection ahead of Jamie Baker, to play near his best if they are to beat Russia in the second round of the Euro-Africa Zone Group One tie at the Ricoh Arena, which starts on Friday.
In the opening singles Evans, ranked 325 in the world, plays the world No80, Dimitri Tursunov, while James Ward (214 and Britain's No2 behind Murray) plays Evgeney Donskoy (60).
Evans is a dangerous player – to opponents, as well as himself, occasionally. So, it is at once curious and uplifting that Smith should turn to him again to be the catalyst for an upset after the young Midlands maverick performed so well for his country in two Davis Cup ties last year.
In trusting a young player with undoubted talent but sometimes wayward commitment, Smith has simultaneously had to disappoint Evans's exact opposite, the ever-striving Baker, who has spent much of his career battling illness and physical setbacks.
Smith informed Baker at a team dinner on Wednesday night, and he returned immediately to London.
Discussion inevitably turned to the absent Murray. Smith, conceding Russia would start favourites to advance to the 16-nation World Group play-offs in September, said: "It's ultimately Andy's decision. He can decide when he plays and when he doesn't play. But it's a good dialogue. I went out to Miami during his pre-season training and we spoke about it, talked about the tie, what the possibilities were, where we'd play, the surface."
As for dropping Baker from the lineup announced in the week, he said: "It was a difficult decision, but when you come here and you bring everyone together, you start to get a feel for the court, for the environment, as well as analysing the opposition, to think which match-ups could potentially cause an upset.
"And it's going to have to be an upset; that's what we're preparing for."
For the singles players, this is a big step up from what they're doing week in, week out. With James and Dan, they're they players we've got at our disposal who can do the most damage on that court out there."
Andy Murray signs deal that brings IPL-style tennis event a step closer | Sport | The Guardian
Murray, reinstated as world No2 after a brief glimpse at the top of the mountain towards the end of 2009, is recovering from the exertions of beating David Ferrer in the Miami Open final last Sunday before heading to Monte Carlo in the next few days and the start of the European clay-court season.
Last night, XIX Entertainment, which guides his career off court, announced an intriguing new partnership with Globosport, the company run by the Indian doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi, to explore business opportunities in China and India.
Bhupathi set tennis buzzing this week when it was confirmed he is chasing the signatures of the world's leading players to take part in an IPL-style tennis tournament across Asia over three weeks in the November-December break at the end of the year. Murray, it emerges, is at the heart of those plans – although, if his playing schedule grows, he might now be even further away from playing in the Davis Cup for his country.
Murray is the first signing of XIX Globosport, a company XIX's founder, Simon Fuller, has formed with Bhupathi. They said in a joint statement they are exploring "the burgeoning sports and entertainment opportunities in India and the Middle East".
The impetus has come from Fuller, who recently did a major deal with IMG for David Beckham in China. "He has a vision for this part of the world and we are excited that he has chosen to partner us," Bhupathi said. They have also brought on board the tennis agent and former Tour pro Ugo Colombini, "to provide on-the-ground tennis support and specialist resourcing" for Murray.
Murray said,: "I believe a mix of Simon's experience and Mahesh's understanding of the sport will create the perfect team for my off-court interests and will allow me to continue to dedicate myself and focus on my goals on the court."
Meanwhile, Leon Smith's Great Britain squad will need the mercurial Dan Evans, a somewhat surprise selection ahead of Jamie Baker, to play near his best if they are to beat Russia in the second round of the Euro-Africa Zone Group One tie at the Ricoh Arena, which starts on Friday.
In the opening singles Evans, ranked 325 in the world, plays the world No80, Dimitri Tursunov, while James Ward (214 and Britain's No2 behind Murray) plays Evgeney Donskoy (60).
Evans is a dangerous player – to opponents, as well as himself, occasionally. So, it is at once curious and uplifting that Smith should turn to him again to be the catalyst for an upset after the young Midlands maverick performed so well for his country in two Davis Cup ties last year.
In trusting a young player with undoubted talent but sometimes wayward commitment, Smith has simultaneously had to disappoint Evans's exact opposite, the ever-striving Baker, who has spent much of his career battling illness and physical setbacks.
Smith informed Baker at a team dinner on Wednesday night, and he returned immediately to London.
Discussion inevitably turned to the absent Murray. Smith, conceding Russia would start favourites to advance to the 16-nation World Group play-offs in September, said: "It's ultimately Andy's decision. He can decide when he plays and when he doesn't play. But it's a good dialogue. I went out to Miami during his pre-season training and we spoke about it, talked about the tie, what the possibilities were, where we'd play, the surface."
As for dropping Baker from the lineup announced in the week, he said: "It was a difficult decision, but when you come here and you bring everyone together, you start to get a feel for the court, for the environment, as well as analysing the opposition, to think which match-ups could potentially cause an upset.
"And it's going to have to be an upset; that's what we're preparing for."
For the singles players, this is a big step up from what they're doing week in, week out. With James and Dan, they're they players we've got at our disposal who can do the most damage on that court out there."
Andy Murray signs deal that brings IPL-style tennis event a step closer | Sport | The Guardian
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The 2XU New Zealand Davis Cup team has been controversially awarded a victory against Pakistan in its Asia/Oceania Group II second round contest at the neutral venue, Pun Hlaing Golf and Country Club in Yangon, Myanmar (formerly Burma).
During the second match on day one the ITF referee Asitha Attygalla from Sri Lanka called the contest off and gave the result to New Zealand as a result of the court being unplayable.
There was a hole by the baseline which New Zealand team captain, Alistair Hunt said was "about an inch deep and half a foot wide". However there had been other issues with the grass courts and difficult bounces as well as unreliable footing throughout the week.
For Hunt and the team the situation is unusual and quite a challenge in the fact they have won a Davis Cup tie 4-1, but have played only one full match.
"The courts have been a disaster from the start," said Hunt "We've changed each grass court and then there was some word we might change to hard court which the ITF said no to. The referee has made a brave decision. Obviously all the guys wanted to play and you don't want to win this way."
Earlier Artem Sitak had lost the first singles 7-5 3-6 6-2 7-5 to Aqeel Khan in a contest played in extreme heat. Hunt said Sitak struggled to get his footing right for serving where the hole was on the court.
"It definitely effected Artem. It was just behind the baseline and he had to change his footing for his serving. I've never seen anything like this in 25 years of Davis Cup. It was dangerous and someone was going to hurt themselves. We weren't the ones complaining. It was totally the referee's decision."
As for the Kiwis and their remaining days in Myanmar, Hunt says it's just a case of keeping quiet. "It's been a very average week of Davis Cup we're just keeping our heads down. It's not entirely great over here."
The second singles had been fairly close between Dan King-Turner and Asiam Qureshi with the Pakistan player winning the first set 6-3 and then the New Zealander the second 6-3. Qureshi led 3-0 in the third set when the contest was called off.
New Zealand will now take on either Thailand or Philippines in the final of Asia/Oceania Group II in September.
Tennis: NZ take controversial Davis Cup win - Sport - NZ Herald News
During the second match on day one the ITF referee Asitha Attygalla from Sri Lanka called the contest off and gave the result to New Zealand as a result of the court being unplayable.
There was a hole by the baseline which New Zealand team captain, Alistair Hunt said was "about an inch deep and half a foot wide". However there had been other issues with the grass courts and difficult bounces as well as unreliable footing throughout the week.
For Hunt and the team the situation is unusual and quite a challenge in the fact they have won a Davis Cup tie 4-1, but have played only one full match.
"The courts have been a disaster from the start," said Hunt "We've changed each grass court and then there was some word we might change to hard court which the ITF said no to. The referee has made a brave decision. Obviously all the guys wanted to play and you don't want to win this way."
Earlier Artem Sitak had lost the first singles 7-5 3-6 6-2 7-5 to Aqeel Khan in a contest played in extreme heat. Hunt said Sitak struggled to get his footing right for serving where the hole was on the court.
"It definitely effected Artem. It was just behind the baseline and he had to change his footing for his serving. I've never seen anything like this in 25 years of Davis Cup. It was dangerous and someone was going to hurt themselves. We weren't the ones complaining. It was totally the referee's decision."
As for the Kiwis and their remaining days in Myanmar, Hunt says it's just a case of keeping quiet. "It's been a very average week of Davis Cup we're just keeping our heads down. It's not entirely great over here."
The second singles had been fairly close between Dan King-Turner and Asiam Qureshi with the Pakistan player winning the first set 6-3 and then the New Zealander the second 6-3. Qureshi led 3-0 in the third set when the contest was called off.
New Zealand will now take on either Thailand or Philippines in the final of Asia/Oceania Group II in September.
Tennis: NZ take controversial Davis Cup win - Sport - NZ Herald News
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The Argentine was a set and 2-0 up on Nadal before the Spaniard came storming back to win a pulsating match that lasted just under two-and-a-half hours and featured seven breaks of serve.
Del Potro had been bidding to beat Nadal for only the fourth time in 11 career meetings but fell short as the Spanish world number five played near-perfect tennis in the latter stages.
"Rafa deserves to win," Del Potro told reporters. "He plays unbelievable for like an hour there. The last hour of the match he didn't make errors. He played so solid and put me so far to the baseline and make winners from there.
"Rafa played really well today in the second and third sets. He broke me early in the third and playing against him when the score is down is tougher, you know."
Del Potro had upset world number three Andy Murray in the quarter-finals and top-ranked Novak Djokovic in the last four to get to the final.
Asked whether he felt fatigued in the final after winning his two previous matches at Indian Wells in three sets, world number seven Del Potro replied: "Yeah, I played three sets against Murray then three sets Djokovic.
"But the finals are finals. They are special, and you get the energy from everywhere to play the finals. Rafa plays yesterday, also, so the conditions are the same for both players.
"I think my body was okay. Just he played better in the end and he deserved to win."
Despite his own disappointment in losing Sunday's final, Del Potro was happy for Nadal, who claimed his third title in his remarkable comeback from seven months on the sidelines due to a knee injury.
"Watching him in this level, he's playing really well. He's winning more than everyone after seven months (out)," said the 24-year-old from Tandil, who embraced Nadal at the end of the match.
Asked whether he felt Nadal was close to the form that earned him 11 grand slam singles titles, Del Potro replied: "Yeah, yeah. Like always, like in the past, he's playing so solid, so strong.
"He's very strong mentally. He has big talent, as well. He beat very good players here at Indian Wells. What I say the days before, he's gonna be fighting for the first position (in the rankings) very soon."
Del Potro, U.S. Open champion in 2009, knows exactly what he has to do to get back among the top four in the world.
"Beat Nadal, beat (Roger) Federer. Try to beat all of them," he said with a grin.
Tennis-Rafa deserved title, says disappointed Del Potro - Yahoo! News