Serena Williams and 16 of Top 17 at WTA Toronto; Tennis-X Notes
Posted by Staff on August 8th, 2015 @ 6:12 pm
Sixteen of the Top 17 turn out this coming week for the Rogers Cup in Toronto, where world No. 1 Serena Williams will test the right elbow injury that has forced her to withdraw from her last two tournaments.
World No. 2 Maria Sharapova is the only top player not participating, citing a leg strain.
Former No. 1s Victoria Azarenka and Jelena Jankovic are positioned to do damage to the top seeds, …
Novak Djokovic Questions A Line Call During Practice [Video]
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 8th, 2015 @ 10:24 am
Just for fun, Novak Djokovic questioned a winner of the racquet of 26-year-old Philip Bester yesterday during a practice session in Montreal.
Bester slapped what looked like a backhand winner, but the World No. 1 wasn’t convinced so he took a closer, “Hawk-Eye” like look at the mark.
Sounds like the Canadian Bester got the point. “Home cooking”, joked Novak.
Djokovic is the top seed at the event. …
Maria Sharapova Withdraws From The Canadian Open
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 8th, 2015 @ 10:11 am
A right leg strain has forced World No. 2 Maria Sharapova out of the Canadian Open which begins in Toronto Monday. The Russian was a finalist at the event in 2009 losing to countrywoman Elena Dementieva.
Sharapova lost to Serena Williams in the Wimbledon semifinals. Recently, her and longtime boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov broke up.
Sharapova is expected to return in 10 days for Cincinnati….
Happy 34th Birthday To Roger Federer!
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 8th, 2015 @ 10:03 am
Swiss tennis great Roger Federer turns 34 today.
What gift would you give to @rogerfederer on his 34th birthday today? Read: http://t.co/eolZ4fgz4U #atp #federer pic.twitter.com/cm6CzF506q
— ATP World Tour (@ATPWorldTour) August 8, 2015
On this day 34 years a LEGEND, inspire for HUMANITY was born is Switzerland.Happy Birthday Roger Federer! pic.twitter.com/HPsxULWuL4
— Berfin Celik (@BerfinRF) …
Isner, Nishikori Headed Toward Final Meeting at Citi Open
Posted by Staff on August 8th, 2015 @ 12:59 am
John Isner and Steve Johnson set up an all-American semifinal at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. with wins on Friday in the quarterfinals.
The No. 8 seed Isner beat Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, while Johnson beat fellow American Jack Sock 7-6(5), 6-1.
“He takes really big cuts on the ball and if I miss my spot he really likes pace,” Isner said of Berankis. “He did it one time in …
Montreal Preview: Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray And Rafael Nadal Headline The Roger-Less Cup
Posted by Sean Randall on August 7th, 2015 @ 9:51 pm
It seems strange, but the U.S. summer hardcourt season just isn’t what it use to be. Years ago, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and even guys like Patrick Rafter and Yevgeny Kafelnikov would play several events leading up to the US Open. These days, for most of the top guys it’s one event (Roger Federer), likely two (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal) and sometimes if we are lucky three (Andy …
John Isner Advances, Grigor Dimitrov Falls In Washington; Ailing Caroline Wozniacki Stumbles In Stanford
Posted by Staff on August 7th, 2015 @ 10:32 am
Two-time finalist John Isner kept his big serve humming winning his sixth straight match beating 2014 finalist Vasek Pospisil 6-4, 7-6 in a match that concluded around 1:30am.
Isner will now face Ricardas Berankis tonight in a rematch of their Atlanta quarter.
No. 2 seed Kei Nishikori won over Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-4. No. 3 Marin Cilic edged Sam Querrey in two breakers.
“I’ve had good preparation with my coaches coming into this …
Italian Tennis Federation Bans Potito Starache And Daniele Bracciali For Life!
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 7th, 2015 @ 9:52 am
The Italian Tennis Federation have banned Potito Starache And Daniele Bracciali for life for their involvement in match fixing.
According to the AP:
The federation performed its own investigation after a probe by judicial authorities in Cremona that used intercepted phone and Internet conversations to show the players fixed matches.
They face charges of criminal association.
In a 2007 conversation between Bracciali and an accountant who was arrested in 2011, Bracciali allegedly discussed …
Eugenie Bouchard Splits With Coach Sam Sumyk
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 7th, 2015 @ 9:43 am
The slumping Eugenie Bouchard jettison coach Sam Sumyk, according to Canadian press.
After parting with longtime coach Nick Saviano, Bouchard added Victoria Azarenka’s old coach Sumyk to the team at the end of last year.
Bouchard enjoyed a breakthrough 2014 reaching two Slam semifinals and the Wimbledon finals. But this season the 21-year-old is just 8-14 and has lost 10 of her last 12 matches. She began the year ranked No. …
Andy Murray To Become A Father In February!
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 7th, 2015 @ 9:30 am
Rumors have been confirmed, Andy Murray will become a father in February. Murray’s agent affirmed the news yesterday.
Murray and wife Kim Sears were married this past April. The couple have been together since they first met at the 2005 US Open. And the news comes just before Murray’s coach, Amelie Mauresmo, has her own baby.
With the revelation, the current Top 4 men are either fathers or expecting fathers …
Andy Murray Shocked In Washington Opener, Madison Keys Crashes Out Of Stanford
Posted by Staff on August 6th, 2015 @ 10:39 am
It was a day of upsets across the two tours on Wednesday. First in Washington where top seed Andy Murray suffered his earliest loss in over two years since Rome 2013 falling to Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4) in his opening hardcourt match of the summer.
“I normally back myself to return a little bit better than I did. I think in the tie-break I don’t think I put one return …
Andy Murray, John Isner In Action Today In Washington; Marin Cilic Wins At 2:30am
Posted by Staff on August 5th, 2015 @ 12:31 pm
The US Open summer swing gets into high gear today as Andy Murray and John Isner open play in Washington.
Murray, who hasn’t played in Washington since his 2006 final run, meets Teymuraz Gabashvili. The 28-year-old Murray is playing in his first tournament since reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon where he lost to Roger Federer. The following weekend he helped his country to a 3-1 Davis Cup quarterfinal victory over France …
Andy Murray Begins Summer Hardcourt Season In Washington This Week [Video]
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 4th, 2015 @ 10:23 am
After a 4-month absence, Andy Murray returns to his favorite hardcourt this week in Washington. Murray, who is making just his second appearance at the event since reaching the 2006 final, is upbeat as his begins his summer swing.
“I haven’t hit a ball on a hard court since Miami,” said Murray. “That’s in March so it’s been four or five months. It’s a while, especially coming from the grass. This …
Meet The Zverev Brothers, Alexander And Mischa [Video]
Posted by Tom Gainey on August 4th, 2015 @ 10:02 am
The brothers Alexander and Mischa Zverev are both in Washington this week. The younger 18-year-old Alexander is one of the promising stars and he won his first round match yesterday beating fellow teen Yoshihito Nishioka.
Mischa, who’s battled injuries recently in his career, lost in the qualifying second round to Ryan Harrison, but hopes to return to the Top 100 and join his brother.
“We’re going to play each other for the …
Something Smells Bad, and It’s the WTA 125K Series
Posted by Jeremy Davis on August 3rd, 2015 @ 6:17 pm
“In 2012, the WTA introduced the WTA 125K Series of tournaments to provide an opportunity for new markets to showcase a professional women’s tennis product and offer lower-ranked and up-and-coming players additional opportunities to compete and earn prize money and ranking points.”
The WTA 125K Series, described above by the WTA, kicked off last week in Nanchang, China, where former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic was the top seed.
What kind of …