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For the eighth straight year, Kiwi Tennis Club is hosting the Audi Melbourne Pro Tennis Classic with a talented group of women’s players once again vying for the title.
Last year’s champion, Grace Min, won’t be back to attempt to repeat. She has played in two WTA events this season already and is well on her way to making the WTA.
Once again, a spot in the French Open is up for grabs and local fan favorite Shelby Rogers is in the hunt for that spot.
Rogers is currently in the final at Charlottesville, Va. She will then travel to Indian Harbour Beach to compete here.
Here is a look at five other players who could make headlines this week at Kiwi:
• Last year’s runner-up, Maria Sanchez, is back and won two USTA events last season, continuing to make her push toward the WTA.
Sanchez lost in the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open in January and has been playing both singles and doubles matches this season. Last week, she lost to Rogers in the Round of 32 in Charlottesville.
• 2011 singles runner-up Alison Riske has played in the Australian Open, the U.S. Open and Wimbledon but is looking to pick up a win.
She lost in the semifinals in Dothan, Ala., and also lost to Rogers last week — falling in the Round of 16.
Riske lost early here last season but has had success here in the past and should be a player to watch this week.
• Irina Falconi is an experienced player who is capable of winning every week. Falconi has played in every Grand Slam event at least twice and has been as high as No. 73 in the world.
She also lost in the semifinals at Dothan and made it to the Round of 16 last weekend. Falconi also has been doing well in doubles events this season.
She has not won an event in a couple of years, so is due for a big week.
• Samantha Crawford is an up-and-coming player who is putting together a solid resumé early on. Crawford played in the U.S. Open in 2012 and won the girls single title in the same U.S. Open.
She has a big serve and is aggressive on the baseline.
• Another young player who could make a charge this week is Victoria Duval. The 17-year-old has already played in the main draw of the U.S. Open and played Kim Clijsters in the first round.
Neither Crawford nor Duval has played in ITF events, but have the talent to make a splash.
The road to next Sunday’s final begins today with the first round of qualifying starting at 10 a.m.
Audi Melbourne
Pro Tennis Classic
Audi Melbourne Pro Tennis Classic
When: Qualifying begins today at 10 a.m.
Where: Kiwi Tennis Club, Indian Harbour Beach
Cost: Free until Friday
Today’s schedule
10 a.m. - First round of qualifying begins
Noon - Mike Cherry High School Skills Challenge
3 p.m. - USTA Kids Day presented by Space Coast Tennis Association
www-floridatoday-com/article/20130428/SPORTS/304280059/Five-watch-Audi-Pro-Tennis-Classic
Last year’s champion, Grace Min, won’t be back to attempt to repeat. She has played in two WTA events this season already and is well on her way to making the WTA.
Once again, a spot in the French Open is up for grabs and local fan favorite Shelby Rogers is in the hunt for that spot.
Rogers is currently in the final at Charlottesville, Va. She will then travel to Indian Harbour Beach to compete here.
Here is a look at five other players who could make headlines this week at Kiwi:
• Last year’s runner-up, Maria Sanchez, is back and won two USTA events last season, continuing to make her push toward the WTA.
Sanchez lost in the qualifying rounds of the Australian Open in January and has been playing both singles and doubles matches this season. Last week, she lost to Rogers in the Round of 32 in Charlottesville.
• 2011 singles runner-up Alison Riske has played in the Australian Open, the U.S. Open and Wimbledon but is looking to pick up a win.
She lost in the semifinals in Dothan, Ala., and also lost to Rogers last week — falling in the Round of 16.
Riske lost early here last season but has had success here in the past and should be a player to watch this week.
• Irina Falconi is an experienced player who is capable of winning every week. Falconi has played in every Grand Slam event at least twice and has been as high as No. 73 in the world.
She also lost in the semifinals at Dothan and made it to the Round of 16 last weekend. Falconi also has been doing well in doubles events this season.
She has not won an event in a couple of years, so is due for a big week.
• Samantha Crawford is an up-and-coming player who is putting together a solid resumé early on. Crawford played in the U.S. Open in 2012 and won the girls single title in the same U.S. Open.
She has a big serve and is aggressive on the baseline.
• Another young player who could make a charge this week is Victoria Duval. The 17-year-old has already played in the main draw of the U.S. Open and played Kim Clijsters in the first round.
Neither Crawford nor Duval has played in ITF events, but have the talent to make a splash.
The road to next Sunday’s final begins today with the first round of qualifying starting at 10 a.m.
Audi Melbourne
Pro Tennis Classic
Audi Melbourne Pro Tennis Classic
When: Qualifying begins today at 10 a.m.
Where: Kiwi Tennis Club, Indian Harbour Beach
Cost: Free until Friday
Today’s schedule
10 a.m. - First round of qualifying begins
Noon - Mike Cherry High School Skills Challenge
3 p.m. - USTA Kids Day presented by Space Coast Tennis Association
www-floridatoday-com/article/20130428/SPORTS/304280059/Five-watch-Audi-Pro-Tennis-Classic
Join:
2006/12/07
Messages:
29893
Rafael Nadal extended his record number of Barcelona titles to eight as he brushed off a slow start to beat Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-3 on Sunday.
Last weekend's Monte Carlo runner-up regained his accustomed position on an ATP winner's podium with his fourth title of 2013 and his third on clay for the year.
He rallied from two breaks down on a day of drizzle and heavy conditions, beating Almagro for the tenth time without defeat.
"I'm very happy," said Nadal. "This has been an important week for me. To win here again is a great joy after everything I've been through.
"It was a fantastic match for me," he told a crowd which had huddled under umbrellas for the duration of the contest. "Thanks to the people who watched us."
The world number five has made a storming comeback to tennis after missing seven months from last summer with knee injuries. Since his February return, he has played finals in all six events he has entered.
"I've played just six tournaments this year but have been in the finals of all of them," said the satisfied winner, who moves up to second in the season points race behind Novak Djokovic, according to ATP calculations. "I'm in the top 10 and I'm getting my tennis back."
Nadal went into recovery mode after trailing Almagro 0-3 in less than a quarter hour on the heavy court.
But as quickly as he had temporarily let his guard down, Nadal was able to muster his resources to fight back.
He claimed an epic ninth game for a 5-4 lead before serving out the opening set a game later as Almagro couldn't reach a forehand to the corner.
"It was cold and rainy today and I was not aggressive enough at the start," said Nadal. "It was important to get a break-back (when) down 3-0."
The second seed sped away with the second set in the testing conditions and finished off the victory with an overhead smash.
"I'm used to losing to Rafa," said Almagro. "But matches like this are what makes you a better player.
"I started well but after it really started to rain the balls got heavy and Rafa found his game in the conditions."
Nadal becomes the first man this season to win four ATP titles, adding Barcelona to those he lifted in Brazil, Mexico and California.
The 26-year-old who is rediscovering the form that habitually makes him the favourite when the French Open comes around in May.
This victory took his Barcelona win streak to 39 matches.
In clay finals, the impeccable Spaniard has lost only to Djokovic (three times), Roger Federer (twice) and Horacio Zeballos (once). He now stands 40-1 in Barcelona.
The win was the second of the season for Nadal over Almagro after beating his countryman in the Acapulco semi-final.
Nadal will now prepare for another home event, the Madrid Masters, beginning next
Tennis: Nadal wins record eighth title in Barcelona - Channel NewsAsia
Last weekend's Monte Carlo runner-up regained his accustomed position on an ATP winner's podium with his fourth title of 2013 and his third on clay for the year.
He rallied from two breaks down on a day of drizzle and heavy conditions, beating Almagro for the tenth time without defeat.
"I'm very happy," said Nadal. "This has been an important week for me. To win here again is a great joy after everything I've been through.
"It was a fantastic match for me," he told a crowd which had huddled under umbrellas for the duration of the contest. "Thanks to the people who watched us."
The world number five has made a storming comeback to tennis after missing seven months from last summer with knee injuries. Since his February return, he has played finals in all six events he has entered.
"I've played just six tournaments this year but have been in the finals of all of them," said the satisfied winner, who moves up to second in the season points race behind Novak Djokovic, according to ATP calculations. "I'm in the top 10 and I'm getting my tennis back."
Nadal went into recovery mode after trailing Almagro 0-3 in less than a quarter hour on the heavy court.
But as quickly as he had temporarily let his guard down, Nadal was able to muster his resources to fight back.
He claimed an epic ninth game for a 5-4 lead before serving out the opening set a game later as Almagro couldn't reach a forehand to the corner.
"It was cold and rainy today and I was not aggressive enough at the start," said Nadal. "It was important to get a break-back (when) down 3-0."
The second seed sped away with the second set in the testing conditions and finished off the victory with an overhead smash.
"I'm used to losing to Rafa," said Almagro. "But matches like this are what makes you a better player.
"I started well but after it really started to rain the balls got heavy and Rafa found his game in the conditions."
Nadal becomes the first man this season to win four ATP titles, adding Barcelona to those he lifted in Brazil, Mexico and California.
The 26-year-old who is rediscovering the form that habitually makes him the favourite when the French Open comes around in May.
This victory took his Barcelona win streak to 39 matches.
In clay finals, the impeccable Spaniard has lost only to Djokovic (three times), Roger Federer (twice) and Horacio Zeballos (once). He now stands 40-1 in Barcelona.
The win was the second of the season for Nadal over Almagro after beating his countryman in the Acapulco semi-final.
Nadal will now prepare for another home event, the Madrid Masters, beginning next
Tennis: Nadal wins record eighth title in Barcelona - Channel NewsAsia
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2006/12/07
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For the second time in less than a year, Rafael Nadal has been upstaged by Lukas Rosol, a 6-foot-5, 27-year-old ball punisher from the Czech Republic. The first time, in case you spent last year living under a rock, was in the second round at Wimbledon, where Rosol eliminated Nadal and helped drive him into a seven-month sabbatical.
Nadal won the Barcelona tournament Sunday, logging his eight win in nine attempts in that city and rebounding from his failure -- by a whisker -- to win his ninth consecutive title in Monte Carlo.
Nadal wins another title on clay. Ho-hum.
Even dedicated Nadalistas must grow a little tired of this, no? Nadal on clay makes the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls, the Joe Montana San Francisco 49ers and the Derek Jeter New York Yankees look semi-successful.
Rosol, by contrast, is more than a year older than Nadal and ranked No. 35. Until Sunday, he had yet to play a singles final at any tour event. But he spanked Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 6-2 to win in Bucharest, and you know you've accomplished something when you beat a Spanish dude with two last names on a red clay court. You want more backstory? Rosol's father died just 10 days ago. After his breakthrough win, an emotional Rosol reflected:
"I wanted to dedicate this trophy to someone, so I found the energy; I felt somebody was helping me from up top. It's not just about me. My family has always supported me and my tennis. … I will remember this week. It was very emotional for me and is something special. I found a way to beat some good players and succeed."
Let's be frank: This story was a heckuva lot more compelling than the tale of yet another Nadal blowout followed by Nadal issuing all kinds of disclaimers about his superiority. But we know better. Nadal is the matador, and the guy he beat in Barcelona (Nicolas Almagro) is just another deferential torero on the Spanish depth chart. Almagro got two more games off Nadal than Garcia-Lopez (another of those toreros) did off Rosol, so that's something -- I guess.
Nadal has 38 straight wins in Barcelona, and he's won 80 of the past 82 sets he's played there. The clay season has barely started, and Nadal has already salted away three titles on the red stuff. This guy has won 23 clay-court titles at Roland Garros and Masters 1000 events alone.
These events underscore just how fortunate we are to have the present ATP setup, with multiple second- and third-tier tournaments going on during all but the most critical weeks -- the weeks of the Masters 1000 events and Grand Slam events. OK, Barcelona was an ATP 500 while Bucharest was one of the lowest-rung 250s. The important thing is that with the players well spread out, and none of the other big-four stars slinging forehands, we got a break from the predictable Rafa-centric storylines that are interrupted only on rarest of occasions.
Novak Djokovic may throw a monkey wrench into Nadal's gears again this year, as he did in 2011 (and as he did in Monte Carlo, just over a week ago). But short of that, the chances are slim that anyone will beat Rafa in a duel on the dust.
Grass may be a different story, and if you're hoping for a projected second-round rematch between Nadal and Rosol (shades of John Isner against Nicolas Mahut, the rematch!), you can just forget about it. Rosol is playing his way into a seeding at Wimbledon.
So much for backstory.
Tennis - Lukas Rosol has upper hand on Rafael Nadal again - ESPN
Nadal won the Barcelona tournament Sunday, logging his eight win in nine attempts in that city and rebounding from his failure -- by a whisker -- to win his ninth consecutive title in Monte Carlo.
Nadal wins another title on clay. Ho-hum.
Even dedicated Nadalistas must grow a little tired of this, no? Nadal on clay makes the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls, the Joe Montana San Francisco 49ers and the Derek Jeter New York Yankees look semi-successful.
Rosol, by contrast, is more than a year older than Nadal and ranked No. 35. Until Sunday, he had yet to play a singles final at any tour event. But he spanked Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3, 6-2 to win in Bucharest, and you know you've accomplished something when you beat a Spanish dude with two last names on a red clay court. You want more backstory? Rosol's father died just 10 days ago. After his breakthrough win, an emotional Rosol reflected:
"I wanted to dedicate this trophy to someone, so I found the energy; I felt somebody was helping me from up top. It's not just about me. My family has always supported me and my tennis. … I will remember this week. It was very emotional for me and is something special. I found a way to beat some good players and succeed."
Let's be frank: This story was a heckuva lot more compelling than the tale of yet another Nadal blowout followed by Nadal issuing all kinds of disclaimers about his superiority. But we know better. Nadal is the matador, and the guy he beat in Barcelona (Nicolas Almagro) is just another deferential torero on the Spanish depth chart. Almagro got two more games off Nadal than Garcia-Lopez (another of those toreros) did off Rosol, so that's something -- I guess.
Nadal has 38 straight wins in Barcelona, and he's won 80 of the past 82 sets he's played there. The clay season has barely started, and Nadal has already salted away three titles on the red stuff. This guy has won 23 clay-court titles at Roland Garros and Masters 1000 events alone.
These events underscore just how fortunate we are to have the present ATP setup, with multiple second- and third-tier tournaments going on during all but the most critical weeks -- the weeks of the Masters 1000 events and Grand Slam events. OK, Barcelona was an ATP 500 while Bucharest was one of the lowest-rung 250s. The important thing is that with the players well spread out, and none of the other big-four stars slinging forehands, we got a break from the predictable Rafa-centric storylines that are interrupted only on rarest of occasions.
Novak Djokovic may throw a monkey wrench into Nadal's gears again this year, as he did in 2011 (and as he did in Monte Carlo, just over a week ago). But short of that, the chances are slim that anyone will beat Rafa in a duel on the dust.
Grass may be a different story, and if you're hoping for a projected second-round rematch between Nadal and Rosol (shades of John Isner against Nicolas Mahut, the rematch!), you can just forget about it. Rosol is playing his way into a seeding at Wimbledon.
So much for backstory.
Tennis - Lukas Rosol has upper hand on Rafael Nadal again - ESPN
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2006/12/07
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Before an unemployed sicko changed tennis history and got away with it; before he walked down through the stands in Hamburg, Germany, and past a crowd distracted by a changeover; before he leaned over a 3-foot barrier and plunged a 9-inch knife between her shoulders, Monica Seles was not only the best women's tennis player in the world. She was also the toughest.
No one knew from where the toughness sprung except Seles herself; she once explained that she so dearly loved the game from such a young age that it never occurred to her to be nervous, or care about who was winning, or even understand how to keep score.
"Mentally she was just so tough, she was right up there with Chris [Evert]," Martina Navratilova said of Seles in a recent phone interview. "You couldn't crack her, you never got the feeling she was panicked or pissed off. Nothing. You could not read her body language. Up 6-4, 4-0 or down 6-4, 4-0, she was immaculate, and she lost a little bit of that, not hardness, but supreme confidence. … She lost her edge."
Monica Seles lost a lot more than that.
Once a legitimate threat to break Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles; once a source of constant frustration to Steffi Graf, who is No. 2 with 22 Slam wins; once one of the toughest competitors in all of sports, Seles didn't just have her career altered on that awful day 20 years ago. It was stolen from her.
"I can't say whatever was meant to be, was meant to be," Seles told me in a 2004 interview with the Chicago Tribune. "When I look back, I'm sure my career, in terms of achievement, would've been different if I hadn't been stabbed, and I'll always wonder why I'm the only one in history who that ever happened to.
"But that was the course my life took, it was beyond my control, and I have to let it go. I don't want to think what could have been, what would have been."
And so, short of a few pages in her 2009 book "Getting a Grip," in which she wrote about the attack, she has slowly stopped talking about it altogether. And a publicist promoting her upcoming book, part of a teen series Seles has written for Bloomsbury Children's Publishing, politely turned down an interview on behalf of Seles because of the subject matter.
You can hardly blame her.
Ahead of her time
Turning 40 this year -- a hard fact to absorb for those of us who remember her so well at 15, the year she turned pro, and at 16, when she won her first Grand Slam title -- Seles was always ahead of her time.
Possessing the most recognized and successful double-fisted forehand in tennis, along with a top-flight two-handed backhand, she was also the original grunter -- though tame by today's standards. But that was how Seles used to be defined before becoming the only known professional athlete to be stabbed in the arena of play. "The most shocking events in my 35 years-plus of playing tennis was the day Vitas Gerulaitis died; the day it came out that Arthur Ashe was HIV positive and the day he died; and the day Monica was stabbed," said longtime pro and Seles opponent Pam Shriver, an ESPN analyst. "Those were all days where I very clearly remember where I was. ... What happened to Monica was almost unthinkable."
On April 30, 1993, Seles was playing in the quarterfinals of the Citizen Cup, a tour event in Germany, on an otherwise perfect day. After winning the previous four games, Seles was leading Magdalena Maleeva 6-4, 4-3 and seemingly poised to close out the match.
At 19, Seles was the top-ranked player in the world and in the prime of her career. She had reached the finals in 33 of 34 tournaments from January 1991 to February 1993, winning 22 singles titles. More astounding? She had won eight Grand Slam tournaments from 1990 to that point, with a match record of 55-1 in Slams.
At 23, Graf had won 10 Grand Slam titles by April 1993, and until '91 had had a four-year stranglehold on the No. 1 ranking. But in '91 and '92, Seles had surged ahead, and she defeated Graf in a dramatic three-setter in the '93 Australian Open final, three months before Hamburg.
With Evert having retired and Navratilova nearing the end of her career, Seles and Graf had clearly separated themselves from the rest of the pack and were primed, it seemed, to develop a rivalry on the level of Navratilova-Evert, Jimmy Connors-John McEnroe and Pete Sampras-Andre Agassi.
"We got cheated, Monica got cheated, everyone got cheated," Navratilova said.
Depression in aftermath
In her book, Seles said she spiraled into a deep depression that manifested itself in an overeating disorder she had never before experienced.
Describing her attempts at rehab, Seles wrote, "Even 10 minutes of walking was torture. I just didn't want to do it. What was wrong with me? There was a problem that no CAT scan or MRI readout could diagnose. Darkness had descended into my head. No matter how many ways I analyzed the situation, I couldn't find a bright side."
Seles would end up being out of tennis for nearly 28 months. During that period, the WTA, the governing body of women's tennis, consulted with its top 25 players and refused to freeze her ranking points.
"As I remember it, in the short history of the rankings to that point, they had never been manipulated to freeze anybody's or take someone off," Shriver, then-president of the WTA Players Association, said by phone. "They were what they were. But this was a precedent-setting event and we needed to have some different thinking and consider new options."
Graf went on to win the next four Grand Slam tournaments -- the '93 French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open and the '94 Australian Open -- and also agreed to an endorsement deal Seles said she was close to signing before the attack and regained the No. 1 ranking five weeks after the stabbing.
Read more at: [url=espn-go-com/espnw/more-sports/9226901/espnw-stabbing-stole-monica-seles-tennis-career]espnW -- Stabbing stole Monica Sel
No one knew from where the toughness sprung except Seles herself; she once explained that she so dearly loved the game from such a young age that it never occurred to her to be nervous, or care about who was winning, or even understand how to keep score.
"Mentally she was just so tough, she was right up there with Chris [Evert]," Martina Navratilova said of Seles in a recent phone interview. "You couldn't crack her, you never got the feeling she was panicked or pissed off. Nothing. You could not read her body language. Up 6-4, 4-0 or down 6-4, 4-0, she was immaculate, and she lost a little bit of that, not hardness, but supreme confidence. … She lost her edge."
Monica Seles lost a lot more than that.
Once a legitimate threat to break Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles; once a source of constant frustration to Steffi Graf, who is No. 2 with 22 Slam wins; once one of the toughest competitors in all of sports, Seles didn't just have her career altered on that awful day 20 years ago. It was stolen from her.
"I can't say whatever was meant to be, was meant to be," Seles told me in a 2004 interview with the Chicago Tribune. "When I look back, I'm sure my career, in terms of achievement, would've been different if I hadn't been stabbed, and I'll always wonder why I'm the only one in history who that ever happened to.
"But that was the course my life took, it was beyond my control, and I have to let it go. I don't want to think what could have been, what would have been."
And so, short of a few pages in her 2009 book "Getting a Grip," in which she wrote about the attack, she has slowly stopped talking about it altogether. And a publicist promoting her upcoming book, part of a teen series Seles has written for Bloomsbury Children's Publishing, politely turned down an interview on behalf of Seles because of the subject matter.
You can hardly blame her.
Ahead of her time
Turning 40 this year -- a hard fact to absorb for those of us who remember her so well at 15, the year she turned pro, and at 16, when she won her first Grand Slam title -- Seles was always ahead of her time.
Possessing the most recognized and successful double-fisted forehand in tennis, along with a top-flight two-handed backhand, she was also the original grunter -- though tame by today's standards. But that was how Seles used to be defined before becoming the only known professional athlete to be stabbed in the arena of play. "The most shocking events in my 35 years-plus of playing tennis was the day Vitas Gerulaitis died; the day it came out that Arthur Ashe was HIV positive and the day he died; and the day Monica was stabbed," said longtime pro and Seles opponent Pam Shriver, an ESPN analyst. "Those were all days where I very clearly remember where I was. ... What happened to Monica was almost unthinkable."
On April 30, 1993, Seles was playing in the quarterfinals of the Citizen Cup, a tour event in Germany, on an otherwise perfect day. After winning the previous four games, Seles was leading Magdalena Maleeva 6-4, 4-3 and seemingly poised to close out the match.
At 19, Seles was the top-ranked player in the world and in the prime of her career. She had reached the finals in 33 of 34 tournaments from January 1991 to February 1993, winning 22 singles titles. More astounding? She had won eight Grand Slam tournaments from 1990 to that point, with a match record of 55-1 in Slams.
At 23, Graf had won 10 Grand Slam titles by April 1993, and until '91 had had a four-year stranglehold on the No. 1 ranking. But in '91 and '92, Seles had surged ahead, and she defeated Graf in a dramatic three-setter in the '93 Australian Open final, three months before Hamburg.
With Evert having retired and Navratilova nearing the end of her career, Seles and Graf had clearly separated themselves from the rest of the pack and were primed, it seemed, to develop a rivalry on the level of Navratilova-Evert, Jimmy Connors-John McEnroe and Pete Sampras-Andre Agassi.
"We got cheated, Monica got cheated, everyone got cheated," Navratilova said.
Depression in aftermath
In her book, Seles said she spiraled into a deep depression that manifested itself in an overeating disorder she had never before experienced.
Describing her attempts at rehab, Seles wrote, "Even 10 minutes of walking was torture. I just didn't want to do it. What was wrong with me? There was a problem that no CAT scan or MRI readout could diagnose. Darkness had descended into my head. No matter how many ways I analyzed the situation, I couldn't find a bright side."
Seles would end up being out of tennis for nearly 28 months. During that period, the WTA, the governing body of women's tennis, consulted with its top 25 players and refused to freeze her ranking points.
"As I remember it, in the short history of the rankings to that point, they had never been manipulated to freeze anybody's or take someone off," Shriver, then-president of the WTA Players Association, said by phone. "They were what they were. But this was a precedent-setting event and we needed to have some different thinking and consider new options."
Graf went on to win the next four Grand Slam tournaments -- the '93 French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open and the '94 Australian Open -- and also agreed to an endorsement deal Seles said she was close to signing before the attack and regained the No. 1 ranking five weeks after the stabbing.
Read more at: [url=espn-go-com/espnw/more-sports/9226901/espnw-stabbing-stole-monica-seles-tennis-career]espnW -- Stabbing stole Monica Sel
Join:
2006/12/07
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U.S. Open tennis champion Andy Murray has condemned the handling of the Operation Puerto doping trial by the Spanish authorities, accusing them of the "biggest cover up in sports history."
A criminal trial in Spain concluded Tuesday with sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes given a one-year jail term for supplying cyclists with blood transfusions to boost their performance.
But the judge hearing the case, Julia Patricia Santamaria, ordered that over 200 bags of blood and plasma seized from Fuentes, be destroyed, pending any appeals.
Murray, an outspoken critic of doping, used his Twitter blog to express his frustration. "Puerto case is beyond a joke... biggest cover up in sports history?," he tweeted
"Why would court order blood bags to be destroyed? #coverup." During his trial, Fuentes gave evidence that he had clients from other sports, including tennis, football, boxing and athletics, but did not identify them.
At the time of his arrest and the raids on his premises in 2006, doping was not a criminal offense in Spain, but he was found guilty of endangering public health.
He was also barred from practicing as a sports doctor for four years, but under the Spanish legal system his jail term will be suspended.
The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) also expressed its disagreement with the court decision Wednesday.
"The decision to order the destruction of all the blood bags is particularly disappointing and unsatisfactory for WADA, and the whole anti-doping community," it said in a statement.
"Access to this evidence motivated WADA's involvement in this case. This would ensure appropriate sports sanction processes against the cheats who used Dr Fuentes' services."
WADA said it was reviewing its next course of action in conjunction with the Spanish National Anti-Doping Organization (AEA). The deadline to appeal the court decision is May 17
The International Olympic Committee signaled its frustration with the court ruling Wednesday.
"It's unfortunate that the evidence used in this proceeding is not now being made available to anti-doping organizations to further the fight against doping," it said in a statement.
British No.1 Murray went public in February with his demand for more blood testing in tennis, saying it needed to do everything it could "to ensure that everyone competing at the highest level and below is clean."
He was joined by fellow grand slam winners Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in demanding stricter tests and in March the International Tennis Federation announced it would be introducing a Biological Passport program - a more stringent control against doping.
Tennis star Murray condemns 'cover up' in Operation Puerto doping case - CNN-com
A criminal trial in Spain concluded Tuesday with sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes given a one-year jail term for supplying cyclists with blood transfusions to boost their performance.
But the judge hearing the case, Julia Patricia Santamaria, ordered that over 200 bags of blood and plasma seized from Fuentes, be destroyed, pending any appeals.
Murray, an outspoken critic of doping, used his Twitter blog to express his frustration. "Puerto case is beyond a joke... biggest cover up in sports history?," he tweeted
"Why would court order blood bags to be destroyed? #coverup." During his trial, Fuentes gave evidence that he had clients from other sports, including tennis, football, boxing and athletics, but did not identify them.
At the time of his arrest and the raids on his premises in 2006, doping was not a criminal offense in Spain, but he was found guilty of endangering public health.
He was also barred from practicing as a sports doctor for four years, but under the Spanish legal system his jail term will be suspended.
The World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) also expressed its disagreement with the court decision Wednesday.
"The decision to order the destruction of all the blood bags is particularly disappointing and unsatisfactory for WADA, and the whole anti-doping community," it said in a statement.
"Access to this evidence motivated WADA's involvement in this case. This would ensure appropriate sports sanction processes against the cheats who used Dr Fuentes' services."
WADA said it was reviewing its next course of action in conjunction with the Spanish National Anti-Doping Organization (AEA). The deadline to appeal the court decision is May 17
The International Olympic Committee signaled its frustration with the court ruling Wednesday.
"It's unfortunate that the evidence used in this proceeding is not now being made available to anti-doping organizations to further the fight against doping," it said in a statement.
British No.1 Murray went public in February with his demand for more blood testing in tennis, saying it needed to do everything it could "to ensure that everyone competing at the highest level and below is clean."
He was joined by fellow grand slam winners Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal in demanding stricter tests and in March the International Tennis Federation announced it would be introducing a Biological Passport program - a more stringent control against doping.
Tennis star Murray condemns 'cover up' in Operation Puerto doping case - CNN-com
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They were the golden couple of tennis, champions on the court and youthful sweethearts off it. But shortly before Jimmy Connors and Chris Evert were scheduled to marry in the mid-Seventies, the wedding was called off.
Neither American discussed what went wrong, leaving tennis fans mystified for nearly 40 years. But Connors has now made a surprising revelation about the demise of the love affair between the world’s No1 players in his new memoir.
Using barely coded language, he has indicated that his fiancée decided to have an abortion after he made her pregnant. He was 22 at the time, with a volatile bad boy reputation, while she was 19, the all-American girl from a devout Roman Catholic family.
“An issue had arisen as a result of youthful passion, and a decision had to be made as a couple,” he writes in The Outsider, according to sections of the book quoted in the American media.
“Chrissie called to say she was coming out to LA to take care of the ‘issue’. I was perfectly happy to let nature take its course and accept responsibility for what was to come.”
In his version of events, Connors signals his bitterness that she took the decision alone. “Chrissie, however, had already made up her mind that the timing was bad and too much was riding on her future,” he writes. “She asked me to handle the details.”
He adds that he told her: “Well, thanks for letting me know. Since I don’t have any say in the matter, I guess I am just here to help.”
Their public romance had captured the world’s imagination. When they both won the Wimbledon singles championships in 1974, the media named their collective achievement the “Love Double”.
Connors claims that Evert’s decision helped to end their relationship. “It was a horrible feeling, but I knew it was over,” he writes. “Getting married wasn’t going to be good for either of us.”
He said that he told her they were still young and should “take a step back”. But in his account, she responded coldly: “OK, if that’s what you think. I’ve got a match tomorrow. Not a problem.”
But he says that he does not believe that a marriage between the two players could have worked out. “It kept going back to the same old question: Can two number ones exist in the same family?”
Connors, now 60, also discusses his battles with dyslexia, a gambling addiction and the infidelities that “came that close to ruining his marriage” to Patti McGuire, his former Playboy model wife of 34 years with whom he has two children.
The book chronicles in lively detail his rise to tennis stardom and his adventures, love affairs and rivalries both on and off the court with fellow tennis players, including Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe and Bjorn Borg.
Evert, 58, who has not responded to requests for comment, later married three times. First to John Lloyd, the British tennis player, then Andy Mill, the Olympic downhill skier, with whom she has three sons, and finally Greg Norman, the golfer. All three ended in divorce.
Both she and Connors went on to enjoy stellar careers. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships and three doubles titles, while he won eight Grand Slam singles trophies and two Grand Slam doubles crowns.
Read more: After 40 years, the secret that ended the romance of tennis' golden couple
Neither American discussed what went wrong, leaving tennis fans mystified for nearly 40 years. But Connors has now made a surprising revelation about the demise of the love affair between the world’s No1 players in his new memoir.
Using barely coded language, he has indicated that his fiancée decided to have an abortion after he made her pregnant. He was 22 at the time, with a volatile bad boy reputation, while she was 19, the all-American girl from a devout Roman Catholic family.
“An issue had arisen as a result of youthful passion, and a decision had to be made as a couple,” he writes in The Outsider, according to sections of the book quoted in the American media.
“Chrissie called to say she was coming out to LA to take care of the ‘issue’. I was perfectly happy to let nature take its course and accept responsibility for what was to come.”
In his version of events, Connors signals his bitterness that she took the decision alone. “Chrissie, however, had already made up her mind that the timing was bad and too much was riding on her future,” he writes. “She asked me to handle the details.”
He adds that he told her: “Well, thanks for letting me know. Since I don’t have any say in the matter, I guess I am just here to help.”
Their public romance had captured the world’s imagination. When they both won the Wimbledon singles championships in 1974, the media named their collective achievement the “Love Double”.
Connors claims that Evert’s decision helped to end their relationship. “It was a horrible feeling, but I knew it was over,” he writes. “Getting married wasn’t going to be good for either of us.”
He said that he told her they were still young and should “take a step back”. But in his account, she responded coldly: “OK, if that’s what you think. I’ve got a match tomorrow. Not a problem.”
But he says that he does not believe that a marriage between the two players could have worked out. “It kept going back to the same old question: Can two number ones exist in the same family?”
Connors, now 60, also discusses his battles with dyslexia, a gambling addiction and the infidelities that “came that close to ruining his marriage” to Patti McGuire, his former Playboy model wife of 34 years with whom he has two children.
The book chronicles in lively detail his rise to tennis stardom and his adventures, love affairs and rivalries both on and off the court with fellow tennis players, including Andre Agassi, John McEnroe, Arthur Ashe and Bjorn Borg.
Evert, 58, who has not responded to requests for comment, later married three times. First to John Lloyd, the British tennis player, then Andy Mill, the Olympic downhill skier, with whom she has three sons, and finally Greg Norman, the golfer. All three ended in divorce.
Both she and Connors went on to enjoy stellar careers. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships and three doubles titles, while he won eight Grand Slam singles trophies and two Grand Slam doubles crowns.
Read more: After 40 years, the secret that ended the romance of tennis' golden couple
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Tennis great Chris Evert has hit out at her former fiance Jimmy Connors for hinting that their relationship ended in the 1970s after she had an abortion against his wishes.
"In his book, Jimmy Connors has written about a time in our relationship that was very personal and emotionally painful," Evert said in a statement today.
"I am extremely disappointed that he used the book to misrepresent a private matter that took place 40 years ago and made it public without my knowledge. I hope everyone can understand that I have no further comment."
Evert, who won 18 Grand Slam titles, and eight-time Major champion Connors were the golden couple of tennis when they dated during the 1970s. Both won the Wimbledon singles titles in 1974 and were due to get married later that year.
When they called off their wedding, little was known about the reasons behind it.
However, Connors shed light on the issues that led to the breakdown of their relationship in his memoir "The Outsider", extracts of which were quoted in the American media this week.
"An issue had arisen as a result of youthful passion and a decision had to be made as a couple. Chrissie called to say she was coming out to LA to take care of the 'issue'," Connors wrote in his book. "I was perfectly happy to let nature take its course and accept responsibility for what was to come."
Evert, raised a Catholic, was 19 at the time.
Connors added in his book: "Chrissie, however, had already made up her mind that the timing was bad and too much was riding on her future. She asked me to handle the details.
He wrote that his response was: "'Well, thanks for letting me know. Since I don't have any say in the matter, then I guess I am just here to help'.
"It was a horrible feeling, but I knew it was over. Getting married wasn't going to be good for either of us."
With Connors deciding they were too young to get married, he wrote that her reply was: "OK if that's what you think. I've got a match tomorrow. Not a problem."
Evert blasts former beau Connors for abortion claims - Tennis News | TVNZ
"In his book, Jimmy Connors has written about a time in our relationship that was very personal and emotionally painful," Evert said in a statement today.
"I am extremely disappointed that he used the book to misrepresent a private matter that took place 40 years ago and made it public without my knowledge. I hope everyone can understand that I have no further comment."
Evert, who won 18 Grand Slam titles, and eight-time Major champion Connors were the golden couple of tennis when they dated during the 1970s. Both won the Wimbledon singles titles in 1974 and were due to get married later that year.
When they called off their wedding, little was known about the reasons behind it.
However, Connors shed light on the issues that led to the breakdown of their relationship in his memoir "The Outsider", extracts of which were quoted in the American media this week.
"An issue had arisen as a result of youthful passion and a decision had to be made as a couple. Chrissie called to say she was coming out to LA to take care of the 'issue'," Connors wrote in his book. "I was perfectly happy to let nature take its course and accept responsibility for what was to come."
Evert, raised a Catholic, was 19 at the time.
Connors added in his book: "Chrissie, however, had already made up her mind that the timing was bad and too much was riding on her future. She asked me to handle the details.
He wrote that his response was: "'Well, thanks for letting me know. Since I don't have any say in the matter, then I guess I am just here to help'.
"It was a horrible feeling, but I knew it was over. Getting married wasn't going to be good for either of us."
With Connors deciding they were too young to get married, he wrote that her reply was: "OK if that's what you think. I've got a match tomorrow. Not a problem."
Evert blasts former beau Connors for abortion claims - Tennis News | TVNZ
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Brad Drewett, a former professional tennis player who later became executive chairman of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and helped increase prize money at Grand Slam tournaments, died May 3 at his home in Sydney. He was 54.
He had Lou Gehrig’s disease, the ATP, the governing body of men’s tennis, said in a statement. Mr. Drewett was a top-40 singles and top-20 doubles player before he retired in 1990. He had led the ATP since January 2012 after having been hired in 2006 to lead operations in the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific regions.
Women’s Tennis Association Chairman Stacey Allaster said the prize money increases were “perfect examples of Brad’s brilliant strategic management and another example of how much he cared about our athletes and the sport’s long-term growth.”
Mr. Drewett announced in January that he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The disease affects voluntary muscle activity, including speaking, walking, breathing and swallowing. It usually causes progressive disability.
Mr. Drewett’s speech was noticeably slurred when he attended a news conference on the opening day of the Australian Open in January to announce a new sponsor. He had planned to step down once a successor was found.
As a player, he won 181 singles matches and two titles as well as seven doubles titles. In 1975, he captured the Australian Open boys’ singles title and a year later made it to the Australian Open singles quarterfinals in his Grand Slam debut. He reached two Australian Open doubles semifinals and the Wimbledon doubles quarterfinals.
Mr. Drewett also developed and managed a number of successful businesses in tennis and the fitness industry. He also worked as a commentator for two Australian television broadcasters.
Survivors include his wife, Joanne; and four children.
Brad Drewett, tennis player and executive, dies at 54 - The Washington Post
He had Lou Gehrig’s disease, the ATP, the governing body of men’s tennis, said in a statement. Mr. Drewett was a top-40 singles and top-20 doubles player before he retired in 1990. He had led the ATP since January 2012 after having been hired in 2006 to lead operations in the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific regions.
Women’s Tennis Association Chairman Stacey Allaster said the prize money increases were “perfect examples of Brad’s brilliant strategic management and another example of how much he cared about our athletes and the sport’s long-term growth.”
Mr. Drewett announced in January that he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. The disease affects voluntary muscle activity, including speaking, walking, breathing and swallowing. It usually causes progressive disability.
Mr. Drewett’s speech was noticeably slurred when he attended a news conference on the opening day of the Australian Open in January to announce a new sponsor. He had planned to step down once a successor was found.
As a player, he won 181 singles matches and two titles as well as seven doubles titles. In 1975, he captured the Australian Open boys’ singles title and a year later made it to the Australian Open singles quarterfinals in his Grand Slam debut. He reached two Australian Open doubles semifinals and the Wimbledon doubles quarterfinals.
Mr. Drewett also developed and managed a number of successful businesses in tennis and the fitness industry. He also worked as a commentator for two Australian television broadcasters.
Survivors include his wife, Joanne; and four children.
Brad Drewett, tennis player and executive, dies at 54 - The Washington Post
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A meeting held in a central London hotel 40 years ago had a momentous impact on the business of women's tennis which is still being felt to this day.
When Billie Jean King brought together the top female players of the day back in 1973 and founded the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), she was setting in motion a process which has led to the lucrative endorsements and prize money enjoyed by the stars of today.
"If Billie Jean King had not been in tennis but another sport then women's tennis would not be where it is today," the WTA's chief executive Stacey Allaster told the BBC.
"She had the vision and the courage to form the WTA, and the belief that we could create a successful women's tennis tour."
In her four years at the helm, Allaster has built on those solid foundations - securing a record number of new sponsors and developing new revenue streams, as well as overseeing a global expansion of the women's game.
She has headed a business plan that has brought in more than $210m (£137m) in revenues from 2011 until now, and has also overseen a digital programme for the game which has sought to increase fan participation.
Growing prize money
The WTA now has more than 2,500 players, representing 92 nations, competing at the WTA's 54 events and four Grand Slams in 33 countries, with total prize money this year being some $100m.
In fact there has been a 70% increase in women's prize money since 2009, all tied to the growth in tournament revenues.
"That growth in prize money shows the strength of the women's game. It is defying this global economic downturn that we have been seeing," says Allaster. More than 5.4 million people attended women's tennis events in 2012, with millions more watching on television and digital channels.
It means that some of the biggest global brands are eager to be associated with the WTA, and sponsorship money - along with tournament revenues and TV deals - is a major foundation in the business model of the women's game.
Big name backers include Dubai Duty Free, Oriflame, Jetstar, and Western Union. And in February, a "multiyear and multimillion dollar" global sponsorship deal was signed with office equipment maker Xerox.
"Why are our sponsors aligned with the WTA and our athletes?" asks Ms Allaster. "I think it is because we have the best athletes in the world, who are truly global citizens, and who are also major figures in the entertainment world. They transcend sport." She says the growth in sponsorship revenue has come about because of the needs of global brands to be more diverse.
"Xerox decided to invest in us because it had goals around diversity and emerging markets - we can deliver on both of those," she says. "Also, the growing power of the female consumer means we are seeing more investment in women's sport."
Recently, the WTA celebrated having players from 10 different countries in the global top 10 for the first time ever, and the organisation now has more events in Asia than it does in Europe or the US.
"So there is this true global expansion of women's tennis," adds the Canadian.
"China and the entire Asia Pacific area is a huge opportunity for us. It is a strategic priority for us, and we have increased our event footprint in the area."
Women's tennis in the Asian region was given a significant boost when Li Na, from China, won the French Open title in 2011. Allaster recently called the player "the most important of the decade" in terms of the boost to tennis in Asia that she provides.
"She will be an inspiration and create more Li Nas. But she transcends China, she is the first Asia Pacific champion," says Allaster.
The WTA is also looking to expand in Latin America and hopes to build on, and beyond, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. In today's digital world, part of Allaster's wider mission is to further encourage input from tennis fans.
"For me, the most amazing change in sport that we are seeing is fans' consumption of sport - there is such an appetite for content," she says.
The WTA is fortunate in having a huge amount of match footage as well as a wealth of off-court, 'back-stage' footage.
"The notion of fan engagement is no longer an optional one. We have 60 million fans and they are using two screens to consume more data, and we - as sports properties - need to share more data with them.
"We want to go deeper for our fans who want more analytics from us."
Player education
However, challenges do remain. Tennis, like all other sports has to remain vigilant in the face of drug abuse and doping. There is also the issue of player "grunting" in tennis, with calls from spectators and commentators for something to be done to curb the worse excesses.
"We are going to be working with the governing bodies to drive excessive grunting out of the game," says Allaster. "The plan is about focusing on educating the next generation. My team has been out to international academies and events, and shown the players a video about what the fans think of grunting."
On a parallel path, technicians are looking to a possible alternative that might monitor the volume of grunting, with an acoustic threshold being set.
The WTA has also been absorbing the loss of its title sponsor, Sony Ericsson, at the end of 2012, after a six-year partnership.
"Previously we had a title sponsor, and when they went away our organisation was turned upside down overnight," she says. "We don't have Sony, but we do have diversified revenue sources, and we are moving through it incredibly well.
"We had built up reserves for a rainy day and... we have been aggressive over the past three years in creating new assets."
These include the new event series, the Tournament of Champions, which is being held in Bulgaria this year. She has also created a new level of professional events, the WTA 125 series, which launched last year, and is a second highest level of women's competition. The series helps meet the demand
When Billie Jean King brought together the top female players of the day back in 1973 and founded the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), she was setting in motion a process which has led to the lucrative endorsements and prize money enjoyed by the stars of today.
"If Billie Jean King had not been in tennis but another sport then women's tennis would not be where it is today," the WTA's chief executive Stacey Allaster told the BBC.
"She had the vision and the courage to form the WTA, and the belief that we could create a successful women's tennis tour."
In her four years at the helm, Allaster has built on those solid foundations - securing a record number of new sponsors and developing new revenue streams, as well as overseeing a global expansion of the women's game.
She has headed a business plan that has brought in more than $210m (£137m) in revenues from 2011 until now, and has also overseen a digital programme for the game which has sought to increase fan participation.
Growing prize money
The WTA now has more than 2,500 players, representing 92 nations, competing at the WTA's 54 events and four Grand Slams in 33 countries, with total prize money this year being some $100m.
In fact there has been a 70% increase in women's prize money since 2009, all tied to the growth in tournament revenues.
"That growth in prize money shows the strength of the women's game. It is defying this global economic downturn that we have been seeing," says Allaster. More than 5.4 million people attended women's tennis events in 2012, with millions more watching on television and digital channels.
It means that some of the biggest global brands are eager to be associated with the WTA, and sponsorship money - along with tournament revenues and TV deals - is a major foundation in the business model of the women's game.
Big name backers include Dubai Duty Free, Oriflame, Jetstar, and Western Union. And in February, a "multiyear and multimillion dollar" global sponsorship deal was signed with office equipment maker Xerox.
"Why are our sponsors aligned with the WTA and our athletes?" asks Ms Allaster. "I think it is because we have the best athletes in the world, who are truly global citizens, and who are also major figures in the entertainment world. They transcend sport." She says the growth in sponsorship revenue has come about because of the needs of global brands to be more diverse.
"Xerox decided to invest in us because it had goals around diversity and emerging markets - we can deliver on both of those," she says. "Also, the growing power of the female consumer means we are seeing more investment in women's sport."
Recently, the WTA celebrated having players from 10 different countries in the global top 10 for the first time ever, and the organisation now has more events in Asia than it does in Europe or the US.
"So there is this true global expansion of women's tennis," adds the Canadian.
"China and the entire Asia Pacific area is a huge opportunity for us. It is a strategic priority for us, and we have increased our event footprint in the area."
Women's tennis in the Asian region was given a significant boost when Li Na, from China, won the French Open title in 2011. Allaster recently called the player "the most important of the decade" in terms of the boost to tennis in Asia that she provides.
"She will be an inspiration and create more Li Nas. But she transcends China, she is the first Asia Pacific champion," says Allaster.
The WTA is also looking to expand in Latin America and hopes to build on, and beyond, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. In today's digital world, part of Allaster's wider mission is to further encourage input from tennis fans.
"For me, the most amazing change in sport that we are seeing is fans' consumption of sport - there is such an appetite for content," she says.
The WTA is fortunate in having a huge amount of match footage as well as a wealth of off-court, 'back-stage' footage.
"The notion of fan engagement is no longer an optional one. We have 60 million fans and they are using two screens to consume more data, and we - as sports properties - need to share more data with them.
"We want to go deeper for our fans who want more analytics from us."
Player education
However, challenges do remain. Tennis, like all other sports has to remain vigilant in the face of drug abuse and doping. There is also the issue of player "grunting" in tennis, with calls from spectators and commentators for something to be done to curb the worse excesses.
"We are going to be working with the governing bodies to drive excessive grunting out of the game," says Allaster. "The plan is about focusing on educating the next generation. My team has been out to international academies and events, and shown the players a video about what the fans think of grunting."
On a parallel path, technicians are looking to a possible alternative that might monitor the volume of grunting, with an acoustic threshold being set.
The WTA has also been absorbing the loss of its title sponsor, Sony Ericsson, at the end of 2012, after a six-year partnership.
"Previously we had a title sponsor, and when they went away our organisation was turned upside down overnight," she says. "We don't have Sony, but we do have diversified revenue sources, and we are moving through it incredibly well.
"We had built up reserves for a rainy day and... we have been aggressive over the past three years in creating new assets."
These include the new event series, the Tournament of Champions, which is being held in Bulgaria this year. She has also created a new level of professional events, the WTA 125 series, which launched last year, and is a second highest level of women's competition. The series helps meet the demand
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The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has named Singapore as the host for its annual end-of-season tour championships for five years from 2014.
The championship, held in the Turkish city of Istanbul between 2011 and 2013, is considered the most prestigious event after the four Grand Slams.
The other candidates were Monterrey, in Mexico, and China's Tianjin.
The top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams will compete for record prize money of $6.5m (£4.2m).
The Singapore move is part of the WTA's stated goal of expanding women's tennis in the Asia-Pacific region.
"This is the largest and most significant WTA Championships partnership in our history. It's a record-breaker," said WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster.
The current champion is Serena Williams, who beat Maria Sharapova in the 2012 final.
The event was first staged in 1972 and has been hosted in cities including Los Angeles, New York City, Munich, Madrid, Doha and currently Istanbul.
'Sports industry'
The move to Singapore follows other big name sports events being held there, including the Formula One Grand Prix, golf's HSBC Women's Champions and the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
The state-of-the-art $1bn Singapore Sports Hub, located in the centre of the city, will host the championships at the 7500-seat, Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The WTA and organisers say they are looking to change the event from a tennis championships into a wider entertainment programme, with new features such as WTA Future Stars, WTA legends exhibition matches, concerts, coaching, trade symposiums, a Women in Business Leadership Conference, and daily fan festivals open to the public.
There will also be VIP events up for grabs for fans.
"This is an excellent opportunity for the sports industry to showcase its capabilities in hosting world class events," said Lim Teck Yin, chief executive of the Singapore Sports Council.
BBC News - WTA picks Singapore to host its tennis Championships from 2014
The championship, held in the Turkish city of Istanbul between 2011 and 2013, is considered the most prestigious event after the four Grand Slams.
The other candidates were Monterrey, in Mexico, and China's Tianjin.
The top eight singles players and top eight doubles teams will compete for record prize money of $6.5m (£4.2m).
The Singapore move is part of the WTA's stated goal of expanding women's tennis in the Asia-Pacific region.
"This is the largest and most significant WTA Championships partnership in our history. It's a record-breaker," said WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster.
The current champion is Serena Williams, who beat Maria Sharapova in the 2012 final.
The event was first staged in 1972 and has been hosted in cities including Los Angeles, New York City, Munich, Madrid, Doha and currently Istanbul.
'Sports industry'
The move to Singapore follows other big name sports events being held there, including the Formula One Grand Prix, golf's HSBC Women's Champions and the 2010 Youth Olympic Games.
The state-of-the-art $1bn Singapore Sports Hub, located in the centre of the city, will host the championships at the 7500-seat, Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The WTA and organisers say they are looking to change the event from a tennis championships into a wider entertainment programme, with new features such as WTA Future Stars, WTA legends exhibition matches, concerts, coaching, trade symposiums, a Women in Business Leadership Conference, and daily fan festivals open to the public.
There will also be VIP events up for grabs for fans.
"This is an excellent opportunity for the sports industry to showcase its capabilities in hosting world class events," said Lim Teck Yin, chief executive of the Singapore Sports Council.
BBC News - WTA picks Singapore to host its tennis Championships from 2014
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Women's tennis boss Stacey Allaster says their tour has zero tolerance to abuse and there are many positive examples of tennis parents.
Women's tennis chief Stacey Allaster has defended the role of parents in the sport after Bernard Tomic's father was charged with assault following an incident in Madrid.
Allaster said the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) had "zero tolerance" to abuse.
But she added that tennis had many positive examples of parents who coach, and said it would make no sense to limit family involvement.
"I think we've got great examples of fantastic parents who have been coaches. So we shouldn't cast anything on one parent going off the wall on all parents involved in tennis," the WTA chairman and CEO told AFP.
"What is critically important is that we have zero tolerance for behaviour that is abusive, and educating our athletes and having the professional code in place and if required, we execute."
Allaster was speaking at Wednesday's announcement of Singapore as host of the season-ending WTA Championships from 2014-2018, a coup for the city-state and for tennis as it seeks to expand its popularity in Asia.
Allaster said the WTA, mindful of the dangers, had a "rookie" system in place to educate youngsters about possible abuse, and also a director of athlete assistance to look out for players on tour.
And she cited Richard Williams and Oracene Price, the parents of Venus and Serena Williams, Piotr Wozniacki and Martina Hingis's mother as examples of "great tennis parents" who have moulded and benefited their children's careers.
"The WTA has zero tolerance for any kind of behaviour, whether it be a parent, a coach, a fellow player, for any sort of abuse," she said.
"We have a strict professional conduct and if required we have no problem banning support team members from our environment. We have done that in the past and we'll continue to do it in the future."
WTA chief defends tennis parents | SBS World News
Women's tennis chief Stacey Allaster has defended the role of parents in the sport after Bernard Tomic's father was charged with assault following an incident in Madrid.
Allaster said the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) had "zero tolerance" to abuse.
But she added that tennis had many positive examples of parents who coach, and said it would make no sense to limit family involvement.
"I think we've got great examples of fantastic parents who have been coaches. So we shouldn't cast anything on one parent going off the wall on all parents involved in tennis," the WTA chairman and CEO told AFP.
"What is critically important is that we have zero tolerance for behaviour that is abusive, and educating our athletes and having the professional code in place and if required, we execute."
Allaster was speaking at Wednesday's announcement of Singapore as host of the season-ending WTA Championships from 2014-2018, a coup for the city-state and for tennis as it seeks to expand its popularity in Asia.
Allaster said the WTA, mindful of the dangers, had a "rookie" system in place to educate youngsters about possible abuse, and also a director of athlete assistance to look out for players on tour.
And she cited Richard Williams and Oracene Price, the parents of Venus and Serena Williams, Piotr Wozniacki and Martina Hingis's mother as examples of "great tennis parents" who have moulded and benefited their children's careers.
"The WTA has zero tolerance for any kind of behaviour, whether it be a parent, a coach, a fellow player, for any sort of abuse," she said.
"We have a strict professional conduct and if required we have no problem banning support team members from our environment. We have done that in the past and we'll continue to do it in the future."
WTA chief defends tennis parents | SBS World News
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It has been almost a decade since the last American player won a major tennis tournament. Andy Roddick claimed the U.S. Open singles title in 2003, and he was also the last American to come close when he lost in the Wimbledon final four years ago.
Roddick retired last year, joining recent fellow American Grand Slam winners Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras on the sidelines.
At the moment, only one American, Sam Querry, is ranked in the top 20 in the world, with John Isner knocking on the door.
So will someone from this country ever hold the winner’s trophy again in a major tournament?
Former Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl can’t answer that question for certain but he realizes it’s going to be a difficult proposition.
“Only five guys have won Grand Slams in the last several years, so this has been a tough time to break through, no matter if you are an American or not,” said Lendl, who opened an academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C., two years ago with the hope of finding some aspiring young U.S. players. “It will take a lot of hard work and some luck (for an American) to win a Grand Slam. It will be interesting to see who emerges when this current group of top players starts to fade,” said Lendl, referring to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Lendl, who is coaching Murray, will be in Richmond today and Saturday to promote the Ivan Lendl International Junior Tennis Academy and help conduct three clinics at Raintree Swim and Racquet Club and Byrd Park.
Lendl, who captured eight major tournaments (three U.S., three French and two Australian opens) during his illustrious career, also will appear at a cocktail reception at Raintree today from 6-8 p.m. The clinics are scheduled for Saturday.
The two clinics on Raintree’s four indoor courts are invitation-only but the public is invited to watch from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The clinic at Byrd Park is being held in conjunction with the Davenport City Tennis Championships and is from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Lendl, 53, said he wanted to come to Richmond because, “This is a good tennis area and we hope that some of the kids might learn about the academy and consider coming to work with us.”
The IJTA, which is open to grades 5-12, focuses daily instruction on classic fundamentals, leading-edge biomechanics, strength training/fitness and overall preparation.
“We have patterned a lot of what we do after how I learned to play and what I learned as I played on the tour,” said Lendl, who was ranked No. 1 in the world through much of the mid-to-late 1980s through most of 1990.
“The most important thing is preparation, so we try to teach the kids how to prepare. That applies on and off the court. We have some good young players and the rate of improvement has been exciting to see.”
Ivan Lendl visiting Richmond to promote junior tennis academy - Richmond Times Dispatch: Tennis
Roddick retired last year, joining recent fellow American Grand Slam winners Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras on the sidelines.
At the moment, only one American, Sam Querry, is ranked in the top 20 in the world, with John Isner knocking on the door.
So will someone from this country ever hold the winner’s trophy again in a major tournament?
Former Grand Slam champion Ivan Lendl can’t answer that question for certain but he realizes it’s going to be a difficult proposition.
“Only five guys have won Grand Slams in the last several years, so this has been a tough time to break through, no matter if you are an American or not,” said Lendl, who opened an academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C., two years ago with the hope of finding some aspiring young U.S. players. “It will take a lot of hard work and some luck (for an American) to win a Grand Slam. It will be interesting to see who emerges when this current group of top players starts to fade,” said Lendl, referring to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Lendl, who is coaching Murray, will be in Richmond today and Saturday to promote the Ivan Lendl International Junior Tennis Academy and help conduct three clinics at Raintree Swim and Racquet Club and Byrd Park.
Lendl, who captured eight major tournaments (three U.S., three French and two Australian opens) during his illustrious career, also will appear at a cocktail reception at Raintree today from 6-8 p.m. The clinics are scheduled for Saturday.
The two clinics on Raintree’s four indoor courts are invitation-only but the public is invited to watch from 8:30 a.m. to noon. The clinic at Byrd Park is being held in conjunction with the Davenport City Tennis Championships and is from 12:30 to 2 p.m.
Lendl, 53, said he wanted to come to Richmond because, “This is a good tennis area and we hope that some of the kids might learn about the academy and consider coming to work with us.”
The IJTA, which is open to grades 5-12, focuses daily instruction on classic fundamentals, leading-edge biomechanics, strength training/fitness and overall preparation.
“We have patterned a lot of what we do after how I learned to play and what I learned as I played on the tour,” said Lendl, who was ranked No. 1 in the world through much of the mid-to-late 1980s through most of 1990.
“The most important thing is preparation, so we try to teach the kids how to prepare. That applies on and off the court. We have some good young players and the rate of improvement has been exciting to see.”
Ivan Lendl visiting Richmond to promote junior tennis academy - Richmond Times Dispatch: Tennis
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New Zealand tennis No 1 Marina Erakovic has teamed up with Zimbabwe's Cara Black to reach the doubles final at the Madrid Masters.
Erakovic and Black, the former doubles world No 1, defeated Spanish pair Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3 in the semifinals overnight (NZT).
Erakovic, who has seven career WTA doubles titles to her credit, has stated that she's enjoying being the junior partner and just doing what she's told on court. And that strategy seems to be working, with the pair set to face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) and Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) in the final.
Meanwhile, Rubin Statham and Indonesian doubles partner Christopher Rungkat have been defeated in the semifinals of the US$125,000 challenger tournament in Kunming, China.
Statham and Rungkat were beaten by Japanese pair Go Soeda and Yasutaka Uchiyama 7-5 1-6 10-8. Statham is currently at a career high doubles ranking of 161.
Tennis: Erakovic makes Madrid final - Sport - NZ Herald News
Erakovic and Black, the former doubles world No 1, defeated Spanish pair Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Carla Suarez Navarro 6-1 6-3 in the semifinals overnight (NZT).
Erakovic, who has seven career WTA doubles titles to her credit, has stated that she's enjoying being the junior partner and just doing what she's told on court. And that strategy seems to be working, with the pair set to face Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (Russia) and Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) in the final.
Meanwhile, Rubin Statham and Indonesian doubles partner Christopher Rungkat have been defeated in the semifinals of the US$125,000 challenger tournament in Kunming, China.
Statham and Rungkat were beaten by Japanese pair Go Soeda and Yasutaka Uchiyama 7-5 1-6 10-8. Statham is currently at a career high doubles ranking of 161.
Tennis: Erakovic makes Madrid final - Sport - NZ Herald News
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Rafael Nadal described reaching the final of the Madrid Masters as a "dream" after he stormed into his seventh consecutive final since returning from a seven-month injury layoff with 6-0, 6-4 win over compatriot Pablo Andujar.
The Spaniard will play Stanislas Wawrinka in the final on Sunday after the Swiss beat sixth seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in Saturday's other semi-final.
"To be able to return to a final here at home, in Madrid is a dream," he said.
"I am very happy and thankful for what I have been able to complete during this season.
"To be in the final of this Masters gives me a special excitement, now all that is left to do is wait for the final tomorrow."
World number 113 Andujar was blown away in the opening set, winning just nine points, as Nadal broke three times to take it 6-0 and the 11-time Grand Slam champion said he was happy with the aggression he showed early on.
"I played very aggressively in the first set. In the second Pablo began to play at a better level and more aggressively.
"I want to congratulate him for his tournament, because this will serve him well for the future."
Andujar had progressed to his first ever Masters series semi-final and he believes Nadal is in even better than in their only previous meeting at the French Open in 2011 when the seven-time champion at Roland Garros progressed in straight sets.
"I think that Rafa played better. He committed very few unforced errors. In the first set he was very aggressive, and I was a little bit nervous," he said.
"But I remember that match where in the first set I was also nervous and Rafa committed a few more errors. I was able to step in a little bit more in the court.
"In this case, Rafa was much more superior than me in the first set."
Victory extended Nadal's incredible run to 31-2 since returning from the tendinitis problem in his knee.
And he will be a huge favourite against Wawrinka, against whom the Spaniard has an 8-0 lifetime record.
But Wawrinka, who will return to the world's top 10 next week for the first time in five years, goes into Sunday's final on a nine-match winning streak, having won his seventh ATP title last week at the Portugal Open.
The Lausanne native will contest his second Masters final, after finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the 2008 Rome Masters.
Berdych, who knocked out world number three Andy Murray in the quarter-finals, was bidding to reach the Madrid final for the second year in a row, having finished runner-up last year to Roger Federer.
The world number one and two players -- Djokovic and Federer -- were both beaten early at the Madrid Masters.
Tennis: Nadal to face Wawrinka in Madrid Masters final - Channel NewsAsia
The Spaniard will play Stanislas Wawrinka in the final on Sunday after the Swiss beat sixth seed Tomas Berdych 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 in Saturday's other semi-final.
"To be able to return to a final here at home, in Madrid is a dream," he said.
"I am very happy and thankful for what I have been able to complete during this season.
"To be in the final of this Masters gives me a special excitement, now all that is left to do is wait for the final tomorrow."
World number 113 Andujar was blown away in the opening set, winning just nine points, as Nadal broke three times to take it 6-0 and the 11-time Grand Slam champion said he was happy with the aggression he showed early on.
"I played very aggressively in the first set. In the second Pablo began to play at a better level and more aggressively.
"I want to congratulate him for his tournament, because this will serve him well for the future."
Andujar had progressed to his first ever Masters series semi-final and he believes Nadal is in even better than in their only previous meeting at the French Open in 2011 when the seven-time champion at Roland Garros progressed in straight sets.
"I think that Rafa played better. He committed very few unforced errors. In the first set he was very aggressive, and I was a little bit nervous," he said.
"But I remember that match where in the first set I was also nervous and Rafa committed a few more errors. I was able to step in a little bit more in the court.
"In this case, Rafa was much more superior than me in the first set."
Victory extended Nadal's incredible run to 31-2 since returning from the tendinitis problem in his knee.
And he will be a huge favourite against Wawrinka, against whom the Spaniard has an 8-0 lifetime record.
But Wawrinka, who will return to the world's top 10 next week for the first time in five years, goes into Sunday's final on a nine-match winning streak, having won his seventh ATP title last week at the Portugal Open.
The Lausanne native will contest his second Masters final, after finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic in the 2008 Rome Masters.
Berdych, who knocked out world number three Andy Murray in the quarter-finals, was bidding to reach the Madrid final for the second year in a row, having finished runner-up last year to Roger Federer.
The world number one and two players -- Djokovic and Federer -- were both beaten early at the Madrid Masters.
Tennis: Nadal to face Wawrinka in Madrid Masters final - Channel NewsAsia
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IN A MOVE that has echoes of Greg Rusedski's defection from Canada 23 years ago, British tennis has all but secured the services of Brydan Klein, born and raised in Western Australia, whose mother came from Manchester.
The LTA had recently been made aware that Klein, 23, was considering a switch of nationality, which has to be endorsed by the ITF before it can become permanent. He is ranked No 241 on the ATP Tour and if his move was ratified he would become the present No 3 in Britain, behind Andy Murray and James Ward.
Klein was the Australian Open junior champion in 2007 but it is an incident in Eastbourne two years later and its consequent fallout in Australia that led the Klein family to consider their options. In July 2009, the ATP handed down a six-month ban from the game after a racial epithet was used by Klein against a South African opponent, Raven Klaasen, at a Challenger level event. He issued an apology but was also fined a total of dollars $24,000. From that moment, Klein has had a fractured relationship with Tennis Australia, though Verne, his father, insisted that his son is a "well-adjusted kid" who had been punished by media overreaction. "He doesn't go out and get drunk, he's not a wild party animal; off the court he is quite placid and demure," Verne Klein said.
Klein has played only nine tournaments this year, largely on the ATP Futures circuit. Quite what reaction there will be if the move goes through, we shall have to wait and see, but the Klein family are clearly hopeful that a change of scenery will aid the player's form and restore his appetite for the game. And it will give the LTA more options when it comes to picking national sides. It was with this in mind that, once British tennis realised in the mid-1990s it had the opportunity to bring a player of Rusedski's talent from Canada - his mother Helen had been born in Yorkshire - it pursued him with gusto.
At the opposite end of the scale, Murray flew from Madrid to Rome for this week's Masters event in a private jet [with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, of France, for a passenger], something we may see more of.
Murray, who opens his campaign tomorrow against Marcel Granollers, of Spain, said: "Obviously it's a luxury [but] Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] and Novak [Djokovic] have been doing it for a number of years. There are times on tour when it's important to get somewhere as quickly as possible to give yourself the most amount of time to recover."
Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
The LTA had recently been made aware that Klein, 23, was considering a switch of nationality, which has to be endorsed by the ITF before it can become permanent. He is ranked No 241 on the ATP Tour and if his move was ratified he would become the present No 3 in Britain, behind Andy Murray and James Ward.
Klein was the Australian Open junior champion in 2007 but it is an incident in Eastbourne two years later and its consequent fallout in Australia that led the Klein family to consider their options. In July 2009, the ATP handed down a six-month ban from the game after a racial epithet was used by Klein against a South African opponent, Raven Klaasen, at a Challenger level event. He issued an apology but was also fined a total of dollars $24,000. From that moment, Klein has had a fractured relationship with Tennis Australia, though Verne, his father, insisted that his son is a "well-adjusted kid" who had been punished by media overreaction. "He doesn't go out and get drunk, he's not a wild party animal; off the court he is quite placid and demure," Verne Klein said.
Klein has played only nine tournaments this year, largely on the ATP Futures circuit. Quite what reaction there will be if the move goes through, we shall have to wait and see, but the Klein family are clearly hopeful that a change of scenery will aid the player's form and restore his appetite for the game. And it will give the LTA more options when it comes to picking national sides. It was with this in mind that, once British tennis realised in the mid-1990s it had the opportunity to bring a player of Rusedski's talent from Canada - his mother Helen had been born in Yorkshire - it pursued him with gusto.
At the opposite end of the scale, Murray flew from Madrid to Rome for this week's Masters event in a private jet [with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, of France, for a passenger], something we may see more of.
Murray, who opens his campaign tomorrow against Marcel Granollers, of Spain, said: "Obviously it's a luxury [but] Roger [Federer], Rafa [Nadal] and Novak [Djokovic] have been doing it for a number of years. There are times on tour when it's important to get somewhere as quickly as possible to give yourself the most amount of time to recover."
Cookies must be enabled. | The Australian
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The U.S. Open tennis coverage may get a new home. Or at least a bigger home at an old place.
SportsBusiness Daily is reporting that, for the first time since 1968, the tournament will leave CBS and that ESPN will obtain all the rights in 2015.
ESPN's Mike Soltys told USA TODAY Sports that: "we're in discussions with the USTA" and the USTA declined to comment.
According to SBD's John Ourand, ESPN would pay an average of $60 million a year, a 50% upgrade from the present contract that expires in 2014. ESPN holds the cable rights through 2014.
Under the proposed deal, ESPN would broadcast the semifinals and finals with other rounds either streamed live or carried on ESPN or one of its other channels.
Currently, ESPN has a sub-licensing deal with Tennis Channel to carry some matches. SBD said it is unclear whether the deal would continue if ESPN took over the entire tournament.
The men's final will be on Monday night the next two years but revert back to Sunday by 2015. That would keep the U.S. Open from bumping up against ESPN's Monday Night Football.
Report: ESPN hoping to take over U.S. Open tennis coverage
SportsBusiness Daily is reporting that, for the first time since 1968, the tournament will leave CBS and that ESPN will obtain all the rights in 2015.
ESPN's Mike Soltys told USA TODAY Sports that: "we're in discussions with the USTA" and the USTA declined to comment.
According to SBD's John Ourand, ESPN would pay an average of $60 million a year, a 50% upgrade from the present contract that expires in 2014. ESPN holds the cable rights through 2014.
Under the proposed deal, ESPN would broadcast the semifinals and finals with other rounds either streamed live or carried on ESPN or one of its other channels.
Currently, ESPN has a sub-licensing deal with Tennis Channel to carry some matches. SBD said it is unclear whether the deal would continue if ESPN took over the entire tournament.
The men's final will be on Monday night the next two years but revert back to Sunday by 2015. That would keep the U.S. Open from bumping up against ESPN's Monday Night Football.
Report: ESPN hoping to take over U.S. Open tennis coverage
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Roger Federer and Andy Murray believe there would be no problem if a men's tennis player comes out as gay.
The second- and third-ranked players were asked about the possibility Sunday at the Italian Open after NBA veteran Jason Collins recently became the first active player in any of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues to come out.
"I don't think it would be a problem," Federer said. "We're very relaxed. We don't play a team sport and see each other all the time. ... We're very open. So whatever happens, happens. I don't know if there are any (gay players). So far from what I've heard, no. But that could change, possibly because of the case in the NBA."
Over the years, women's tennis greats Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and Amelie Mauresmo came out about their sexual orientation and Collins called Navratilova one of his heroes.
After Collins' announcement last month, President Barack Obama called the 34-year-old Washington Wizards player to congratulate him and tell him he was proud of his courage.
"I think everyone has gotten better at dealing with it," Murray said. "More and more players have come out and I think there has to be some players that are probably gay. From speaking to the other players, I don't think anyone has any issues with it. So I hope that in tennis it's an issue that is dealt with well when the situation arises."
Federer, Murray: no problem for gay tennis players | Sports, News, The Philippine Star | philstar-com
The second- and third-ranked players were asked about the possibility Sunday at the Italian Open after NBA veteran Jason Collins recently became the first active player in any of the four major U.S. professional sports leagues to come out.
"I don't think it would be a problem," Federer said. "We're very relaxed. We don't play a team sport and see each other all the time. ... We're very open. So whatever happens, happens. I don't know if there are any (gay players). So far from what I've heard, no. But that could change, possibly because of the case in the NBA."
Over the years, women's tennis greats Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and Amelie Mauresmo came out about their sexual orientation and Collins called Navratilova one of his heroes.
After Collins' announcement last month, President Barack Obama called the 34-year-old Washington Wizards player to congratulate him and tell him he was proud of his courage.
"I think everyone has gotten better at dealing with it," Murray said. "More and more players have come out and I think there has to be some players that are probably gay. From speaking to the other players, I don't think anyone has any issues with it. So I hope that in tennis it's an issue that is dealt with well when the situation arises."
Federer, Murray: no problem for gay tennis players | Sports, News, The Philippine Star | philstar-com
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World number two Andy Murray admitted Wednesday that he could miss the French Open after a long-term back injury forced him to quit the Rome Masters.
"I'd be very surprised if I was playing in Paris," a subdued Murray said after retiring from a second-round start at the Foro Italico, handing a 6-3, 6-7 (5/7) win to Spain's Marcel Granollers.
Murray, who was celebrating his 26th birthday on Wednesday, said that pain in his lower left back, which has bothered him since late 2011, has been flaring recently, bringing on the Rome pull-out.
"I felt pain today, the same as in Madrid. I hit yesterday and played some points. But I was still sore today," added Murray, with the French Open due to start on May 26.
There were no such problems for Madrid Masters champion Rafael Nadal who began laying the groundwork for a dream seventh Rome title, hammering Italian Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-3.
Nadal owns five titles since making his return after seven months out with a knee injury.
The Spaniard, who has now won his 32nd match of the season against two defeats, will next play Ernests Gulbis, a winner over Serb Viktor Troicki 6-1, 6-1.
"Tomorrow I play against an opponent who is very dangerous," said Nadal.
"He's having a great season and we had a tough match in Indian Wells this year.
"He's aggressive with a big serve, big shots from the baseline. I have to be playing great if I want to have any chance."
Murray said the back problem is the same one which required him to take a pain-killing injection last spring in order to play Roland Garros in 2012 where he reached the quarter-finals.
"We will have to wait and see on Paris. I'll try to make a decision after the next five days or so. I need some days off for it to hopefully settle down," added the world number two.
Murray, the US Open and Olympic champion, said he was loathe to take another injection since the one in 2012 still did not leave him feeling 100 per cent.
The Briton has not quit a match since May, 2007, in Hamburg when he suffered a wrist injury which took three months to heal.
The defeat marked the second straight year in Rome that Murray, a 2011 semi-finalist, has gone out early, following a third-round exit a year ago.
Murray, who has never clinched a claycourt title, has won just three matches on the surface this season, alongside as many defeats.
"(The back) has not been perfect for a long period, I want it to start feeling good again. Everyone goes into matches with niggles, but this is very frustrating," added Murray.
"Some shots hurt more on clay because the movement is so exaggerated. There is not a lot of power on the ball so you have to generate power and pace yourself.
"I don't want to go into details, but I've got a disc problem, it changes week to week. It's been an issue for a while, but I want to make sure it goes away.
"I don't want to be playing with it long-term, it's not enjoyable at all."
Murray was joined on the sidelines at the Foro Italico by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, with Polish underdog Jerzy Janowicz ripping off his shirt in celebration seconds after clinching a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over the eighth seed.
Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov got a free trip into the third round when Madrid finalist Stanislas Wawrinka quit before their meeting with a thigh injury which also bothered him last week.
In women's play, second seed Maria Sharapova, winner of the last two editions, started with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Spain's Garbine Muguruza.
"This is a meaningful tournament for me," Sharapova said.
"This is one of the tournaments I've won a couple of times, and I've also been playing here since I was really young."
Number three Victoria Azarenka was equally untroubled by Julia Goerges beating the German 6-2, 6-0.
Former Roland Garros winner, and fifth seed, Li Na won a battle with Chinese countrywoman Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-1 while Australian ninth seed Samantha Stosur, the 2010 beaten finalist in Paris, beat China's Peng Shuai 7-6 (7/5), 6-0.
Tennis: I may miss French Open, admits injured Murray - Channel NewsAsia
"I'd be very surprised if I was playing in Paris," a subdued Murray said after retiring from a second-round start at the Foro Italico, handing a 6-3, 6-7 (5/7) win to Spain's Marcel Granollers.
Murray, who was celebrating his 26th birthday on Wednesday, said that pain in his lower left back, which has bothered him since late 2011, has been flaring recently, bringing on the Rome pull-out.
"I felt pain today, the same as in Madrid. I hit yesterday and played some points. But I was still sore today," added Murray, with the French Open due to start on May 26.
There were no such problems for Madrid Masters champion Rafael Nadal who began laying the groundwork for a dream seventh Rome title, hammering Italian Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-3.
Nadal owns five titles since making his return after seven months out with a knee injury.
The Spaniard, who has now won his 32nd match of the season against two defeats, will next play Ernests Gulbis, a winner over Serb Viktor Troicki 6-1, 6-1.
"Tomorrow I play against an opponent who is very dangerous," said Nadal.
"He's having a great season and we had a tough match in Indian Wells this year.
"He's aggressive with a big serve, big shots from the baseline. I have to be playing great if I want to have any chance."
Murray said the back problem is the same one which required him to take a pain-killing injection last spring in order to play Roland Garros in 2012 where he reached the quarter-finals.
"We will have to wait and see on Paris. I'll try to make a decision after the next five days or so. I need some days off for it to hopefully settle down," added the world number two.
Murray, the US Open and Olympic champion, said he was loathe to take another injection since the one in 2012 still did not leave him feeling 100 per cent.
The Briton has not quit a match since May, 2007, in Hamburg when he suffered a wrist injury which took three months to heal.
The defeat marked the second straight year in Rome that Murray, a 2011 semi-finalist, has gone out early, following a third-round exit a year ago.
Murray, who has never clinched a claycourt title, has won just three matches on the surface this season, alongside as many defeats.
"(The back) has not been perfect for a long period, I want it to start feeling good again. Everyone goes into matches with niggles, but this is very frustrating," added Murray.
"Some shots hurt more on clay because the movement is so exaggerated. There is not a lot of power on the ball so you have to generate power and pace yourself.
"I don't want to go into details, but I've got a disc problem, it changes week to week. It's been an issue for a while, but I want to make sure it goes away.
"I don't want to be playing with it long-term, it's not enjoyable at all."
Murray was joined on the sidelines at the Foro Italico by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, with Polish underdog Jerzy Janowicz ripping off his shirt in celebration seconds after clinching a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over the eighth seed.
Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov got a free trip into the third round when Madrid finalist Stanislas Wawrinka quit before their meeting with a thigh injury which also bothered him last week.
In women's play, second seed Maria Sharapova, winner of the last two editions, started with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Spain's Garbine Muguruza.
"This is a meaningful tournament for me," Sharapova said.
"This is one of the tournaments I've won a couple of times, and I've also been playing here since I was really young."
Number three Victoria Azarenka was equally untroubled by Julia Goerges beating the German 6-2, 6-0.
Former Roland Garros winner, and fifth seed, Li Na won a battle with Chinese countrywoman Zheng Jie 6-3, 6-1 while Australian ninth seed Samantha Stosur, the 2010 beaten finalist in Paris, beat China's Peng Shuai 7-6 (7/5), 6-0.
Tennis: I may miss French Open, admits injured Murray - Channel NewsAsia
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For decades, the United States Open tennis tournament was a mainstay of broadcast television, along with the Super Bowl, the World Series and the Masters. From Billie Jean King and Rod Laver to Roger Federer and the Williams sisters, viewers knew they could watch superstars, rising talents and upstarts play in the men’s and women’s finals and semifinals — and more — on CBS. But that is about to end. The latest assault on the fraying broadcast sports model came Thursday when ESPN announced that it would take control of the tournament in 2015, ending CBS’s role in it after what will be 46 years.
ESPN already has the tournament’s cable rights and will pay $825 million over 11 years to combine what it has carried since 2009 with what CBS has televised. It also promised that every match would be seen live on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN3, the broadband network.
“Look, this is just about ESPN,” John Skipper, ESPN’s president, said in a telephone interview. “It’s not about cable or broadcast. We feel that sports rights are the most valuable commodity in media. The difference between broadcast and cable is inconsequential.”
ESPN’s acquisition of the United States Open advances a trend in which cable networks like ESPN and TBS scoop up increasingly important sports events. Nearly every college football bowl game is on an ESPN network. Chunks of the Major League Baseball and N.B.A. postseasons have been on cable for a while. And the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament that had been CBS’s sole domain since 1991 is now shared with three Turner Sports networks. One of them, TBS, will carry the Final Four semifinals next year and the Final Four and championship game every other year from 2016 until 2024.
And the new college football playoff will be on ESPN. Only the Super Bowl and the World Series seem safe on broadcast television, but maybe for another decade or so.
Cable networks have increasingly used their revenue from subscribers and advertisers to lavish cash on leagues, college conferences and other rights holders. Broadcasters have reasoned that they sometimes cannot compete with cable networks, especially ESPN, for high-end sports rights, or that they do not need them as they once did, as CBS has concluded with the United States Open.
Its United States Open viewership tumbled to a 25-year low of 2 million in 2012 from as many as 3.4 million 10 years earlier. And rain has forced the postponement of the men’s final from Sunday to Monday for five straight years.
With money to spend, ESPN and other cable channels like TNT and TBS have for years been encroaching on the turf of broadcast networks, which have long carried games on weekends and occasionally in prime time. Their strategy has been similar to the one deployed with great success by cable networks like USA, AMC and A&E, which developed original dramas, comedies and reality series that have forced broadcasters to reimagine their futures as viewers have left them in droves.
The acquisition of all rights to the United States Open follows a similar move by ESPN two years ago to end NBC’s 43-year grip on Wimbledon with a 12-year deal worth nearly $500 million. When the United States Open deal starts in two years, the only tennis Grand Slam left on broadcast television will be the French Open on NBC, which has the rights through 2024.
CBS was looking at losing money on the United States Open if it had to raise its annual rights payment to the United States Tennis Association to about $32.5 million in a new deal, from $20 million.
“We could not come to an agreement with the U.S.T.A. that made economic sense for CBS,” said Sean McManus, the chairman of CBS Sports.
ESPN’s $75 million annual payment for the Open nearly quadruples what it has been paying. It will combine what it had been paying with what CBS has been paying and absorb a sizable increase. Still, it amounts to pocket change for ESPN, which in 2014 will start a long-term deal in which it will pay $1.9 billion a year to continue to carry “Monday Night Football.”
U.S.T.A. officials sounded so enamored of ESPN’s power to reach tennis fans that on a conference call with reporters Thursday they sounded ready to move on, immediately if possible, from CBS.
The U.S.T.A.’s executive director, Gordon Smith, said the deal “puts the U.S. Open at the center of American sports culture as never before.”
www-nytimes-com/2013/05/17/sports/tennis/ending-an-era-the-us-open-will-move-to-espn-html
ESPN already has the tournament’s cable rights and will pay $825 million over 11 years to combine what it has carried since 2009 with what CBS has televised. It also promised that every match would be seen live on ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN3, the broadband network.
“Look, this is just about ESPN,” John Skipper, ESPN’s president, said in a telephone interview. “It’s not about cable or broadcast. We feel that sports rights are the most valuable commodity in media. The difference between broadcast and cable is inconsequential.”
ESPN’s acquisition of the United States Open advances a trend in which cable networks like ESPN and TBS scoop up increasingly important sports events. Nearly every college football bowl game is on an ESPN network. Chunks of the Major League Baseball and N.B.A. postseasons have been on cable for a while. And the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament that had been CBS’s sole domain since 1991 is now shared with three Turner Sports networks. One of them, TBS, will carry the Final Four semifinals next year and the Final Four and championship game every other year from 2016 until 2024.
And the new college football playoff will be on ESPN. Only the Super Bowl and the World Series seem safe on broadcast television, but maybe for another decade or so.
Cable networks have increasingly used their revenue from subscribers and advertisers to lavish cash on leagues, college conferences and other rights holders. Broadcasters have reasoned that they sometimes cannot compete with cable networks, especially ESPN, for high-end sports rights, or that they do not need them as they once did, as CBS has concluded with the United States Open.
Its United States Open viewership tumbled to a 25-year low of 2 million in 2012 from as many as 3.4 million 10 years earlier. And rain has forced the postponement of the men’s final from Sunday to Monday for five straight years.
With money to spend, ESPN and other cable channels like TNT and TBS have for years been encroaching on the turf of broadcast networks, which have long carried games on weekends and occasionally in prime time. Their strategy has been similar to the one deployed with great success by cable networks like USA, AMC and A&E, which developed original dramas, comedies and reality series that have forced broadcasters to reimagine their futures as viewers have left them in droves.
The acquisition of all rights to the United States Open follows a similar move by ESPN two years ago to end NBC’s 43-year grip on Wimbledon with a 12-year deal worth nearly $500 million. When the United States Open deal starts in two years, the only tennis Grand Slam left on broadcast television will be the French Open on NBC, which has the rights through 2024.
CBS was looking at losing money on the United States Open if it had to raise its annual rights payment to the United States Tennis Association to about $32.5 million in a new deal, from $20 million.
“We could not come to an agreement with the U.S.T.A. that made economic sense for CBS,” said Sean McManus, the chairman of CBS Sports.
ESPN’s $75 million annual payment for the Open nearly quadruples what it has been paying. It will combine what it had been paying with what CBS has been paying and absorb a sizable increase. Still, it amounts to pocket change for ESPN, which in 2014 will start a long-term deal in which it will pay $1.9 billion a year to continue to carry “Monday Night Football.”
U.S.T.A. officials sounded so enamored of ESPN’s power to reach tennis fans that on a conference call with reporters Thursday they sounded ready to move on, immediately if possible, from CBS.
The U.S.T.A.’s executive director, Gordon Smith, said the deal “puts the U.S. Open at the center of American sports culture as never before.”
www-nytimes-com/2013/05/17/sports/tennis/ending-an-era-the-us-open-will-move-to-espn-html
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* Will meet Canadian fifth seed Raonic in semis
* Almagro through to last four to face Kohlschreiber (Adds Nadal, Raonic results, quotes) April 26 (Reuters) - Rafa Nadal moved closer to an eighth Barcelona Open title in nine years on Friday when he breezed through two matches to set up a semi-final against Canadian fifth seed Milos Raonic.
Chasing a fourth title of the year after returning from a seven-month injury layoff in February, Nadal recovered from a slow start on the clay at the Real Club de Tenis to beat Benoit Paire 7-6 6-2 in their delayed third-round match.
The world number five had been set to meet the 13th-seeded Frenchman on Thursday before rain washed out the day's play.
After a few hours rest, Nadal returned to centre court to dispatch fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos 6-3 6-0 for his 37th consecutive Barcelona Open win.
It was the first time he had played two matches in one day since the Monte Carlo Masters in 2009.
"I played much better than this morning," Nadal said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster TVE.
"Making the semi-finals is great news and I am pleased to get through a difficult day like today," he added.
To the relief of organisers, the rain forecast for the Catalan capital held off, allowing Thursday's postponed matches to be completed before the quarter-finals were played.
Ramos, the world number 64, surprised Japanese sixth seed Kei Nishikori 6-4 7-6 in their delayed third-round match before 2004 champion Robredo came back from a set down to upset third-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych 3-6 7-6 6-3.
Raonic, the world number 13, beat Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis 6-2 7-6 before battling back from a set down against Robredo to win 6-7 6-3 7-6.
Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber became the first player to reach the last four when his quarter-final opponent, Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil, pulled out of the tournament with an abdominal injury.
Kohlschreiber will play Nicolas Almagro for a place in Sunday's final after the Spanish fourth seed beat Argentine Juan Monaco, the seventh seed, 6-3 7-5.
AGGRESSIVE SHOTS
Paire, who turns 24 next month and had never played Nadal before, began aggressively and broke the French Open champion's serve in the opening game.
Nadal had the usual strapping on his troublesome left knee but showed no sign of discomfort, breaking back before taking the tiebreak 7-2.
Further breaks in the fifth and seventh games of the second set secured victory for the 26-year-old Majorcan as he seeks to bounce back from his defeat by Serbia's world number one Novak Djokovic in Sunday's Monte Carlo Masters final.
Ramos also played some aggressive shots in the opening set against Nadal but faded badly in the second and did not manage a single break point, while Nadal converted four of his five chances.
Top seed and world number four David Ferrer, another Spaniard whom Nadal beat in the final in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012, lost to Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov in the second round on Wednesday. (Writing by Iain Rogers, editing by Ed Osmond and Ken Ferris)
Tennis-Two wins in a day put Nadal into Barcelona semis