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ESPN.com - Tennis
Venus Williams, Serena Williams to meet in Wimbledon women's final

Associated Press

2 Jul 2009 | 4:24 pm

Serena Williams saved a match point and overcame Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 in 2 hours, 49 minutes. Venus Williams needed only 51 minutes to overwhelm Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 and reach her eighth Wimbledon final.
James Blake, Mardy Fish knocked out in Wimbledon men's doubles semifinals

Associated Press

2 Jul 2009 | 3:18 pm

James Blake and Mardy Fish let a two-set lead squirm out of their grasp at Wimbledon, missing out on their first Grand Slam final.
Second Billie Jean King Cup set for March 1 in New York City

Associated Press

2 Jul 2009 | 11:21 am

Four top women's tennis players will again face off in a one-night tournament at Madison Square Garden for the Billie Jean King Cup.
Wimbledon head racket stringer ready for action during men's final

Reuters

1 Jul 2009 | 9:25 am

Wimbledon head racket stringer Roger Dalton will be poised next to his machine, fingers twitching, primed for action during the men's singles final.
Ivo Karlovic, Marin Cilic selected for Croatia Davis Cup team

ESPN.com news services

1 Jul 2009 | 8:10 am

Wimbledon quarterfinalist Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic have been selected for Croatia's Davis Cup team against the United States.

SI.com - Tennis
Agassi set to participate in World Team Tennis

2 Jul 2009 | 2:02 pm

NEW YORK (AP) -Andre Agassi wanted to smack some tennis balls around this summer, so he decided to take Billie Jean King up on her offer.
Serena survives Dementieva in three-set semi

2 Jul 2009 | 12:14 pm

Venus rolled while Serena saved a match point as the sisters advanced to the Wimbledon final.
Billie Jean King Cup to return to New York City

2 Jul 2009 | 11:15 am

NEW YORK (AP) -Four top women's tennis players will again face off in a one-night tournament at Madison Square Garden for the Billie Jean King Cup.
Semifinals set: Federer, Roddick, Murray, Haas

1 Jul 2009 | 11:00 pm

Two-time finalist Andy Roddick survived the quarters. Now hometown hero Andy Murray awaits.
Americans Blake, Fish reach doubles semifinals

1 Jul 2009 | 3:36 pm

For The Associated Press

NBCSports.com: Tennis
It's Williams vs. Williams for Wimbledon title

2 Jul 2009 | 3:21 pm

Serena saves match point to beat Dementieva, then Venus crushes Safina
Austin: Slight edge to Serena over Venus

2 Jul 2009 | 1:27 pm

Austin: It’ll be a battle from the baseline in Wimbledon final rematch
Celizic: Amazingly, Williamses are only getting better

2 Jul 2009 | 2:45 pm

Celizic: Wimbledon finalists have been carrying women's game for decade-plus
Vote: Who are you rooting for, Serena or Venus?

2 Jul 2009 | 9:44 am
Video: Wimbledon Wrapup: Williamses win semis

2 Jul 2009 | 1:10 pm

July 2: Mary Carillo and Jimmy Roberts discuss the Williams sisters and their completely opposite semifinal matches. (NBC Sports)

FOXSports.com News for TENNIS
Venus, Serena take very different paths to final

2 Jul 2009 | 3:47 pm

Venus in a laugher. Serena in a thriller. The sisters are back in the Wimbledon final after a wild day, Richard Evans says.
Serena survives thriller; Venus rolls into final

2 Jul 2009 | 3:43 pm

Serena Williams saved a match point and rallied to beat Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 Thursday, reaching the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row. The two-time Wimbledon champion saved the match point with a backhand volley while trailing 5-4 in the third set. Williams dominated on her serve in the first set after being broken in the first game of the match, but she couldn't hang on in the tiebreaker.
Billie Jean King Cup returns to New York

2 Jul 2009 | 12:21 pm

Four top women's tennis players will again face off in a one-night tournament at Madison Square Garden for the Billie Jean King Cup. Sponsor BNP Paribas announced Thursday that the event will be played March 1. Serena Williams won the inaugural title earlier this year with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over sister Venus. The field also included Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic. The four 2009 Grand Slam winners will be invited to participate in next year's tournament.
Federer, Murray, Roddick, Haas into men's semis

2 Jul 2009 | 8:22 am

Roger Federer has reached his 21st consecutive Grand Slam semifinal by beating Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (3) at Wimbledon. Federer used brilliant returns to break the hard-serving Karlovic once in each of the first two sets Wednesday and took advantage of the Croat's poor net play in the tiebreaker. The Swiss star set up four match points with a backhand pass and converted the second with a forehand winner. Federer never faced a break point against the 6-foot-10 (2.08-meter) Croat.
Ferrero hopes to build off Wimbledon success

1 Jul 2009 | 1:28 pm

Juan Carlos Ferrero doesn't have a lot of time to savor his surprising run to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, instead going from the All England Club to Umag, Croatia, in search of some valuable ranking points. The former No. 1 entered Wimbledon as a wild card after his ranking fell to 115th in May, but still won four matches before losing to Andy Murray 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 Wednesday. He beat eighth-seeded Gilles Simon and No.

BBC Sport | Tennis | UK Edition
Murray stands on verge of history

2 Jul 2009 | 11:30 am

Andy Murray will become the first British player for 71 years to reach the Wimbledon men's final if he can overcome Andy Roddick in Friday's semi-finals.
Wimbledon day 10 as it happened

2 Jul 2009 | 9:36 am

Serena Williams beats Elena Dementieva in an epic before Venus Williams faces Dinara Safina for a place in the women's final, as Andy Murray prepares for his first Wimbledon semi-final on Friday.
Venus and Serena through to final

2 Jul 2009 | 9:15 am

Serena Williams will face sister Venus in Saturday's Wimbledon final after prevailing in a marathon tussle with Russian Elena Dementieva.
Bogus Wimbledon tickets warning

2 Jul 2009 | 7:40 am

Tennis fans are told to beware of bogus tickets for this weekend's Wimbledon finals.
Dutch duo target wheelchair final

2 Jul 2009 | 3:22 am

World number one Esther Vergeer and her Dutch compatriot Korie Homan start their bid to win the inaugural Wimbledon wheelchair women's doubles title on Friday.

Yahoo! Sports - Tennis News
Russian women bow out in semifinals (AP)

2 Jul 2009 | 3:16 pm

One of the two Russian semifinalists at Wimbledon failed to convert a match point Thursday. The other struggled to even win a point in her match. Neither will be playing in Saturday's final. Elena Dementieva came close, though, getting within a point of beating one half of the Williams sisters, Serena, before losing 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 on Centre Court.
Venus, Serena make Wimbledon final again (AP)

2 Jul 2009 | 3:14 pm

Richard Williams refuses to watch his daughters Venus and Serena play each other. Says he simply can't bear to see it, no matter the setting, no matter the stage. So once again, the patriarch of the greatest sister act in tennis history is heading home to the United States before the Wimbledon final.
Roddick returns to Wimbledon semifinals (AP)

2 Jul 2009 | 11:41 am

The current edition of Wimbledon is the 23rd Grand Slam tournament since Andy Roddick won his lone major championship at the 2003 U.S. Open. He badly wants to win a second. It's why he changed coaches for this season. Slimmed down. Put in as much work as ever in practice, striving to improve his returns, his backhands, his volleys.
Haas upsets No. 4 Djokovic in quarters (AP)

2 Jul 2009 | 12:37 am

Tommy Haas set the tone early with his serve, and he kept his game in tune long enough to upset No. 4 Novak Djokovic and reach the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time. Now comes the toughest test of all at the All England Club: a matchup against five-time champion Roger Federer. Haas, at 31 the oldest man in the quarterfinals of this year's tournament, lost only five points on serve in the...
Federer in 21st straight Grand Slam semi (AP)

1 Jul 2009 | 7:02 am

Roger Federer has reached his 21st consecutive Grand Slam semifinal by beating Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (3) at Wimbledon. Federer used brilliant returns to break the hard-serving Karlovic once in each of the first two sets Wednesday and took advantage of the Croat's poor net play in the tiebreaker.

TennisEarth.com
Commentary: Dinara Safina Vs Venus Williams @ The Championships, Women's Singles SF(Finished)

2 Jul 2009 | 1:14 pm

Dinara Safina Vs Venus Williams 1-6,0-6. An all-Williams final is now set at the 2009 Wimbledon as five time champion VENUS WILLIAMS spends just 51 minutes on court to completely dismantle the world number one Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 to reach the 8th Wimbledon final of her career. Williams dominated the entire match with angled backhands and sharp serves to ensure a win in just under an hour. Catch all the action from the Tennis World - Subscribe to TennisEarth.com Newsletter and get latest happenings of Tennis on Earth right in your mailbox.
Wimbledon Men's semifinal - Battle of Andy's vs. Federer-Haas masterpiece

2 Jul 2009 | 1:14 pm

Now that the women's final is set and the Williams sisters are ready for a showdown on Saturday, we turn our attention to the men's semifinal which lines up the fabulous foursome pitted against each other. Let's take a thorough look at different equations involving the thrilling semifinal match ups.
Sister Act 4 - Serena all set to play Venus in Wimbledon final

2 Jul 2009 | 11:13 am

The Williams sisters confirmed their domination on women's tennis once again as they regsitered contrasting wins over their respective opponents to reach the Wimbledon final for the fourth time at the prestigious All England Lawn Tennis Club.
Quotes from 2009 Wimbledon

2 Jul 2009 | 2:01 am

Wimbledon is one Grand Slam of the year that attracts the best of players and evokes the best of talks, and when players start talking, everyone's all ears. Find out what your favourite tennis stars said about their lives both on court and off it.
It's Williams vs. Russians as Semifinals set at Wimbledon

1 Jul 2009 | 12:15 pm

The All England Lawn Tennis Club could not have asked for a better semifinal line up as all four of the top seeds have made it the the last four of the Championships.

Photostream from Daylife

AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS
Ground Pass stays at $29

13 Jun 2009 | 9:11 am

The best value ticket in world sport will remain at $29 for Australian Open 2010.
Stosur enjoying the Paris spotlight

1 Jun 2009 | 4:53 pm

“Definitely one of the best, if not the best,” is how Australian No.1 Samantha Stosur described her win over world No.4 Elena Dementieva at this week's French Open in Paris.
Australian Open at RSVP

28 May 2009 | 10:14 am

Come and visit the Australian Open Corporate Hospitality team at RSVP, Australia's premier event for the event industry. Visit our stand in Melbourne or Sydney to enjoy a taste of the Australian Open and to find out how to get the most sought after tickets in January.
Re-live the memories of AO 2009

24 May 2009 | 11:16 am

Australian Open 2009 captured the world's attention as the world's best went head to head for the first Grand Slam title of the year. Now you can re-live the highlights of Australian Open 2009 with the official DVDs.
French Open preview

24 May 2009 | 11:05 am

After a thrilling mix of jaw-dropping tennis and teary-eyed emotion at Australian Open 2009, Rafa and Roger are set to again resume their rivalry at the second major of the year in Paris.

Serena Williams Diary
Wimbledon: Team Williams advances to Semifinal

1 Jul 2009 | 2:19 pm

The Williams Sisters defeated Germany's Anna-Lena Groenefeld and USA's Vania King in quarterfinal doubles action today 6-2, 7-5. The Williams Sisters have now advanced to the Semis in both singles and doubles.
Wimbledon: Semifinal Thursday

1 Jul 2009 | 2:08 pm

Semifinal[2] Serena Williams (USA) vs [4] Elena Dementieva (RUS)Serena leads Head-to-Head 5-31st Match Of The Day on Center CourtLIVE Coverage on ESPN2 @ 8am EST
Serena's U.S. Open Series Commercial

30 Jun 2009 | 9:51 pm
Wimbledon: Quarterfinal Handshake

30 Jun 2009 | 2:31 pm
Wimbledon Doubles: Quarterfinal Wednesday

30 Jun 2009 | 2:19 pm

QuarterfinalVenus/Serena (USA)[4] vs A. Groenefeld (GER)[12]/V. King(USA)1st Match of the day on Court 2

Black Tennis Pro's
Venus Williams Makes Quick Work Of Voegele

Shelia

23 Jun 2009 | 7:19 am

Venus Williams, USA(Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Five-time champion Venus Williams recovered from an early stumble in her opening match at Wimbledon on Tuesday to beat Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland 6-3, 6-2.It was Williams' first appearance on Centre Court since the 2008 final, when she beat sister Serena for her second Wimbledon title in a row.Venus slipped five points into the match, one of several wobbly moments as she began her bid for a three-peat. She double-faulted in the opening game and had to erase two break points. She was passed the first two…
(PHOTOS) Venus And Richard Williams Get In Early Morning Practice At Wimbledon

Shelia

23 Jun 2009 | 7:07 am

Venus Williams, USA(Photos by Leon Neal/AFP/Getty Images)
Tsonga And His New Beard Through To Round Two

Shelia

23 Jun 2009 | 6:42 am

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France(Photos by AP)Wimbledon's first round saw Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeat Kazakhstan's Andrev Golubev 6-3, 5-7, 77-64, 77-65 on Monday. Tsonga's next opponent will be Italian Simone Bolelli.
In Style And In Form, Serena Advances At Wimbledon

Shelia

23 Jun 2009 | 6:16 am

Serena Williams, USA (Photos by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Serena Williams has advanced to the second round of Wimbledon by beating Neuza Silva of Portugal 6-1, 7-5.Williams breezed through the first set and then relied on her powerful serve in the second. She did not face a break point in the entire match, only losing nine points on her serve.Silva sent a shot wide to set up two match points for Williams, who converted the first one when her Portuguese opponent netted a backhand.Williams is looking for her third Wimbledon title, while the 154th-ranked Silva was…
(PHOTOS) Serena Preps For First Wimbledon Match

Shelia

23 Jun 2009 | 6:10 am

American Serena Williams practices prior to first match at Wimbledon 2009

Women's Tennis Blog
Sisters Serena and Venus Williams to clash in Wimbledon 2009 final

Marija

2 Jul 2009 | 10:00 am

For the second year in a row the mighty Williams sisters will face each other in the final of Wimbledon. Serena Williams won the longest women’s semifinal at Wimbledon in the era of Open tennis and got one step away from getting another make-up holder (she stores her make-up brushes in her numerous trophies). However, that one step is a huge one. Even though two-time Wimbledon champion Serena will be playing her fifth Wimbledon final, her sister Venus has won the prestigious title as much as five times, having played the final seven times so far, and is twice defending champion this year.
Wimbledon drops "Miss" and "Mrs" from scoreboards after 132 years

Marija

1 Jul 2009 | 1:34 pm

Wimbledon is by far the most traditional tennis event, but some formalities have been changed in recent years and the latest one is that female players are no longer referred to as "Miss" or "Mrs" on scoreboards. Instead of "Miss" or "Mrs" in front of players' last names, Wimbledon is now, for the first time in 132 years, using players’ first names. However, the tradition hasn’t disappeared completely, since umpires are still referring to women players as "Miss" or "Mrs". The introduction of this change happened without fuss…
Prettier faces have advantage of playing on Wimbledon Centre Court

Marija

30 Jun 2009 | 12:05 pm

Beauty of a player is among the things taken into consideration when deciding on the court selection at Wimbledon and it has been confirmed by All England Club spokesperson Johnny Perkins. "Good looks are a factor," said Perkins, and added that court selection is "a great big mixture of where the players are in the draw, who they're playing, what their ranking is". Svetlana Kuznetsova was among those bewildered by the situation: It's weird. If you look at the schedule, it's not only about me. It's about Dinara on Court No 2, Venus (Williams) on Court No…
Ana Ivanovic’s Wimbledon injury not serious, micro-tear in left thigh

Marija

30 Jun 2009 | 10:40 am

The injury which made Ana Ivanovic quit Wimbledon 2009 in tears is luckily just a mild one. The 21-year-old Ivanovic was forced to retire from her fourth-round match with Venus Williams yesterday, but fortunately, the prognosis of her injury is a good one: although very painful, her left-thigh injury is not serious, it is a micro-tear. The Serbian world No.12 must rest for just a week or two, and hence her schedule is not supposed to be affected. She will next play Los Angeles. (source: Ana Ivanovic's official website, photo courtesy of Life) Share This
Williams sisters, Safina, Dementieva in Wimbledon 2009 semifinals

Marija

30 Jun 2009 | 10:22 am

Semifinal pairs are set at Wimbledon: twice defending champion Venus Williams will play top seed Dinara Safina, while last year’s finalist Serena Williams will face Elena Dementieva. Five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams wasted little time in defeating 11th seed Agnieszka Radwanska. Williams raced to a 5-0 lead in 18 minutes and won the first set in just 27 minutes. Radwanska was coping better at the start of the second set and even got to 0-40 in game two, before converting her first chance to break. However, the third-seeded Williams wasn’t really threatened and broke two times in…

Craig Hickman's Tennis Blog
Quotes For The Day

Craig Hickman

2 Jul 2009 | 10:31 am

Q. This isn't your fault obviously because you played really well, but it's embarrassing for women's tennis to see the No. 1 destroyed in that way, isn't it?VENUS WILLIAMS: Why do you put it like that?Q. You played very well.VENUS WILLIAMS: Are you trying to be down on women's tennis?Q. I'm trying to be down on the way that Safina is the world No. 1 representing women's tennis.VENUS WILLIAMS: So you're trying to be down basically.Q. Not on women's tennis, no.VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay, because I don't deal with down at all.Q. It's not down.VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm just making sure you're not trying to…
Day 10: Outrageous

Craig Hickman

2 Jul 2009 | 9:04 am

ReutersIf it wasn't for technology, Serena Williams might be out of the tournament. In what Savannah tweeted the Hawk Eye Set, Serena used the replay system to challenge a let cord winner Elena Dementieva struck on a break point to potentially hold serve. But her shot landed millimeters outside the sideline and Serena served for, and closed out, the second set, after fending off two break points at 15-40 and another two at ad. Serena struck an ace out wide to save the third, but Elena challenged unsuccessfully. At deuce, Serena served an ace up the T that landed smack on the line. Another…
Wimbledon 2009 Day 10 Open Thread

Craig Hickman

1 Jul 2009 | 5:44 pm

Russia v. WilliamsReutersWho you got?Thursday Order Of PlayCENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START1. Elena Dementieva (RUS) [4] vs Serena Williams (USA) [2] 2. Dinara Safina (RUS) [1] vs Venus Williams (USA) [3]3. James Blake (USA) and Mardy Fish (USA) vs Daniel Nestor (CAN) and Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) [2]COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START1. Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) [1] vs Wesley Moodie (RSA) and Dick Norman (BEL) [9]2. Leander Paes (IND) and Cara Black (ZIM) [1] 1 vs Andre Sa (BRA) and Ai Sugiyama (JPN) [11]3. Mark Knowles (BAH) and Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) [9] vs Bob Bryan (USA)…
Day 9: Surprise, Surprise

Craig Hickman

1 Jul 2009 | 1:32 pm

While there was only one upset, there were many surprises.Novak Djokovic had no passion today. None. Even his expressions of frustration were meek. GettyTommy Haas, the old unmarried dude, didn't completely melt down and lose a two set-to-love lead.GettyLleyton Hewitt, clearly in pain, played his best tennis in the fifth set and almost won the match. ReutersAndy Roddick lost a 22-point tiebreak after being up 5-2; he won the match serving second in the final set; he out-gutted Hewitt in a five-setter in the quarterfinals of a Slam.ReutersJuan Carlos Ferrero, the other old unmarried dude,…
Face Of The Day

Craig Hickman

1 Jul 2009 | 1:30 pm

APActress Kate Winslett watches Roger Federer of Switzerland play Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in their quarterfinal match on centre court at Wimbledon, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

ROLAND GARROS
Federer displays greatness in winning first Roland Garros

7 Jun 2009 | 11:30 am

This time, Rafael Nadal was not lying in wait in the final, but Roger Federer perhaps faced down a more formidable opponent – history. In winning his first French Open title, Federer achieved the one goal that had eluded him, taking the world’s most important clay court title with a sterling performance.
Mladenovic sweeps to girls’ title

7 Jun 2009 | 10:50 am

Kristina Mladenovic cruised to victory in the girls’ singles final, dominating Daria Gavrilova of Russia 6-3 6-2. The French girl won the tournament with flair, not dropping a single set along the way.
Kuznetsova claims first French Open title as Safina crumbles

7 Jun 2009 | 10:49 am

Svetlana Kuznetsova’s five-year wait for a second Grand Slam title is over. The Russian won the 2009 French Open title, emerging victorious 6-4 6-2 after her opponent – No1 seed Dinara Safina – was paralysed with nerves throughout the 75-minute contest.
Sweden’s Berta takes the boys’ title

7 Jun 2009 | 10:44 am

Sweden’s Daniel Berta defeated Gianni Mina of France in a 90-minute, three-set epic to claim the French Open boys’ singles championship on Sunday. The 17-year-old French youngster was unable to match the achievement of compatriot Gael Monfils five years earlier, going down 6-1 3-6 6-3.
2009 French Open men's singles final in figures

7 Jun 2009 | 10:25 am

Here are the numbers that matter following the French Open men's singles final…

Pro Tennis Fan
All Williams Final at Wimbledon

Mike McIntyre

2 Jul 2009 | 11:02 am

Both Serena and Venus Williams won their semi-final matches today at Wimbledon to advance to the championship final. Serena narrowly defeated Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 and saved a match point along the way, while Venus cruised past Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0. Check out the following article for more info.
Federer Advances to 21st Straight Grand Slam Semi

Mike McIntyre

1 Jul 2009 | 10:13 am

By Mike McIntyreRoger Federer advanced to his record extending 21st straight Grand Slam semi-final with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6(3) win over Croatia's Ivo Karlovic at Wimbledon on Wednesday.Federer was brilliant on serve all day, only losing eleven service points in three sets. The incredible serve of Karlovic was subdued, as Federer became the first man to break him during the tournament after 79 straight holds. Karlovic was broken once in the first set, once in the second and then failed to threaten Federer during the third set tiebreak. Other than his monstrous serve, Karlovic appeared…
Jon Wertheim's Midterm Wimbledon Grades

Mike McIntyre

30 Jun 2009 | 6:56 am

Check out Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim's midterm Wimbledon grades.
American Oudin Shocks Jankovic

Mike McIntyre

27 Jun 2009 | 6:41 pm

By Mike McIntyreSeventeen year old American qualifier Melanie Oudin has proven to be the surprise story of the women's draw at Wimbledon this year as she knocked off sixth seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-7(8), 7-5, 6-2 on Saturday. Oudin is listed at 5'6'' and reminds me of Justin Henin in terms of her physique. While not physically imposing, Oudin used a versatile arsenal of shots and a well disguised drop shot to upset the former world number one. Oudin had set points in the first set tie break, but was unable to capitalize and lost the breaker by a score of 10-8. After taking the…
Hewitt Returns to Form at Wimbledon

Mike McIntyre

25 Jun 2009 | 8:28 am

By Mike McIntyre 2002 Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt is displaying strong grass-court form as he knocked off number five seed Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 to advance to the third round. "Oh, it was a big win. I wanted to beat a top‑five guy," Hewitt stated after the match. "These are the places you want to do it, too." Despite practicing together on numerous occasions, it was the first career meeting between the two and Hewitt used his experience to knock off the twenty year old Argentine who falls to 3-3 in his career at the All England Club.

The Dysfunctional Tennis Blog
Wimbledon Notes: NBC Tape-fest, Safina Defends No. 1 Rank

Staff

2 Jul 2009 | 1:31 pm

Venus has won five of the last eight against Serena...
Safina Chokes Again as Williams Sisters Advance to Wimbledon Final

Staff

2 Jul 2009 | 10:37 am

Venus steamrolled the No. 1-ranked Safina 6-1, 6-0, with the Russian exhibiting the throat-clutching tennis she usually saves for Grand Slam finals, where she is 0-3 career. It was the first appearance in a Wimbledon semifinal for Safina.
Federer v Haas, Roddick v Murray in Wimbledon Semis

Staff

1 Jul 2009 | 6:06 pm

Federer advanced to his 21st straight Grand Slam semifinal by straight-setting the giant-serving giant Ivo Karlovic.
Favorites Federer, Murray, Roddick, Djokovic Looking Good in Wimbledon Quarters

Sean Randall

30 Jun 2009 | 12:19 pm

Sean Randall breaks down the Wimbledon quarterfinals.
Wimbledon Notes: Dr. Ivo an Ace, Federer Grass Foes

Staff

30 Jun 2009 | 11:38 am

Tommy Haas and Novak Djokovic have Grand Slam wins over Roger Federer. And Lleyton Hewitt has a grass win plus a best-of-five set win over the Swiss...

tennis served fresh
british bruises

nmccarvel

2 Jul 2009 | 1:44 pm

Well, once again it’s been a brutally bad fortnight for the Brits, with only Andy Murray remaining in the main draw for a chance at The Championships. Perhaps if he’s victorious his coach, Miles Maclagan, will take his shirt off in celebration? We can dream, can’t we? Meanwhile, home-grown future champ Laura Robson went down – and hard – yesterday, losing 8-6 in the third set of her third-round girl’s singles match. Robson made a strong showing in the first round of the women’s draw, losing to Daniela Hantuchova in three sets. She officially announced…
bump, set, tweet?

nmccarvel

30 Jun 2009 | 5:35 am

Serena Williams and Andy Murray are leading the charge of top-level players who are using their Twitter accounts as means for communicating with their fans. Last week, Williams created a stir when one of her Tweets complained about a ‘new rule’ in the locker room regarding no food. Wimbledon officials went on the address the situation, but it marked one of the first times in the tennis world that Twitter has been used a means of unofficial communication, giving the social networking site even more power on the web. TennisTweets.com is a free online service that offers Twitter…
oudinmania

nmccarvel

28 Jun 2009 | 8:24 am

Oudinmania has hit the American press, folks. The American teen, Melanie Oudin, who beat Jelena Jankovic yesterday to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon is on the front page of the New York Times web site as we speak. She also graced the front page of TENNIS.com, was the main tennis story for USA Today, ESPN.com and many other media outlets. Sure, the gal’s accomplishment is not to be diminished. But aren’t we all being a little… well, British about this? The desperate state of American tennis is to blame, if you ask me. We are DES-PER-ATE for someone to come along. But is…
name those legs

nmccarvel

27 Jun 2009 | 5:22 am

Who wears short shorts? And has really, really smooth skin? Find out after the cut. It’s Fernando Verdasco, my friends. And when I took this picture, a mere few feet away from the Spanish dreamboat himself, I had to wonder: Does Fernando Verdasco shave his legs? Debate below. (photos by nmccarvel.)
bjorn borg’s NYC exclusive: swim trunks!

Erwin

25 Jun 2009 | 6:55 pm

While TSF’s all smilies about being able to grab Bjorn Borg skivvies from the interwebs — check out the goods here — we were even happier about what we found at the brand’s only US store, in NYC’s SoHo neighborhood. Yes, friends, they also carry swim trunks! Our fave is this take on tennis short shorts — clean, bright white punctuated by deep red lines. You can check out the rest of the pieces at the boutique located on 89 Crosby Street. (Note: if you’re coming from Spring, it might look like Crosby’s deserted, but fear not — the BB store…

Peter Bodo's TennisWorld
The Spirit of Thunder

Peter Bodo

2 Jul 2009 | 11:32 am

by Pete Bodo During the last half of the third set today, Serena Williams looked as if having to run for one more Elena Dementieva laser to the forehand corner might cause her to tip over, tongue flapping and thighs (and those are some thighs) twitching. But even if that had happened, you get the feeling that some new, fresh incarnation of Serena would have drifted up like a wraith from a nostril or eardrum, materializing into flesh and blood as it snatched the racket from the turf and took up a position at the baseline with a lusty shout of, "Show me what you got, sucker!"…
Wimbledon Crisis Center, Day 10

Peter Bodo

2 Jul 2009 | 4:12 am

Mornin'. First, I have a few housekeeping notes regarding my last post(Snakebit Tommy). A number of readers complained that I was wrong to write that Tommy Haas hasn't won a Masters Shield - he bagged on at Stuttgart, 2001. I did check that stat while writing: the ATP media guide has a grid-graph clearly charting each player's performance in majors and Masters. Stuttgart does not appear on Haas's chart. I re-checked after repeated complaints, and found some fine print below the chart, which credits him with a Stuttgart victory (and a 7-4 record, which I assume is a…
Snakebit Tommy

Peter Bodo

1 Jul 2009 | 12:42 pm

by Pete Bodo Tommy Haas upset No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon today, and will meet Roger Federer - whom Haas almost put out of the recent French Open, and against whom he is 2-9 - in the semifinals. In the post-match presser, a reporter asked Haas which of the four surfaces he chose as the most advantageous battleground for a clash with the top-seeded Federer. "I would prefer to play him on Rebound Ace because I have a lead there 2-1 against him," Haas answered. "That surface no longer exists. There you go." There you go indeed - it's just another odd detail in…
Wimbledon Crisis Center, Day 9

Peter Bodo

1 Jul 2009 | 4:41 am

Mornin' folks. Here we are in the men's quarterfinals. The soundtrack is provided by your favorite "oldies" station, what with Juan Carlos Ferrero, Tommy Haas and Lleyton Hewitt still in the hunt for the title. Which of these three men has the best chance to survive today's weeding out? That's a pretty tough call to make, mainly because two of those three (Ferrero and Hewitt) are former Grand Slam champions and No. 1 ranked players. At this stage of Wimbledon, there's a special premium on experience, because the prize just a week ago was shrouded in mist and…
Williams Family Woodshed

Peter Bodo

30 Jun 2009 | 12:00 pm

by Pete Bodo You know women's tennis - or women tennis pros, at any rate - are in trouble when their players start using Grand Slam trophies as makeup brush holders, the way Serena Williams says she does. You have to wonder, what next? Using the French Open trophy as a vide poche? A planter, for growing tomatoes on your deck? A spittoon, if you travel in that sort of company? Today at Wimbledon, Venus and Serena each took the penultimate step to a rematch of their final here last year. They did it so convincingly that even the customarily jaded British pressmen were left delivering…

Tennis Talk, Anyone?
Don't say it, Van, don't … don't …

Tennis Talk, Anyone?

2 Jul 2009 | 4:55 am

Ahhh! I can't hold back! Here it goes:For some reason, I have some serious doubt about an all-Williams final happening!There, I said it.It's not like they're playing bad or anything—far from it, in fact. But Elena Dementieva's also been playing incredibly well and looks to have shaken whatever funk she was in. And while Dinara Safina hasn't exactly looked like the second coming of Venus, she's been fighting through, which is always good.I wouldn't mind seeing an all-Williams final, and it is the call I made at the beginning of the tournament. But I just can't seem to shake those nagging…
And then there were four

Tennis Talk, Anyone?

1 Jul 2009 | 1:25 pm

Sorry for the lack of postings—I've been celebrating the TTA? birthday! : )But seriously, I, like millions of others, have been totally engrossed in the Big W, and today offered up some great results. How about that Tommy Haas? He's actually had a dominant grass-court season this year after having never really done too much on it in his career. I thought Marin Cilic was going to come through in that quarter, but Haas got him early on in one of the matches of the tournament.It doesn't get any easier for Tommy Boy, seeing as he only has to play THE man, Roger Federer next in the semis. Fed…
You ever seen "Sixteen Candles"?

Tennis Talk, Anyone?

27 Jun 2009 | 9:20 pm

Well, just like that Molly Ringwald classic, where her family forgot her birthday, Tennis Talk, Anyone?'s second birthday passed and I completely forgot it!Happy belated birthday, dear blog of mine, and thanks to anyone and everyone who's come by and checked this site out!— Van
Three is the magic number

Tennis Talk, Anyone?

25 Jun 2009 | 8:19 pm

So how do you like Wimbledon so far now that we're at the third round? Why, it was just yesterday we were in the second!I know I'm digging it, and it's pretty wild to think that the round of 32 is upon us. I guess the biggest names to go so far in the tournament have been James Blake, Maria Sharapova, Juan Martin del Potro and Marat Safin. The Sharapova loss is shocking, and I thought Blake would've done better.The matches have been of a pretty high quality, and there are a few on tap tomorrow that should continue that. Here's a few that I'll be keeping close tabs on:* Mardy Fish vs. Novak…
Long live the queen (Wimbledon quarterfinal predictions, women's edition)

Tennis Talk, Anyone?

22 Jun 2009 | 8:17 pm

Oops, the start of the tournament got away from me before I got this up! Sorry about that, but a little thing called day-to-day life got in the way. Looking at the draw—and what has happened in recent years—I think the cream of the crop is Venus Williams, and I don't think she's ready to give up the crown anytime soon. None of my intended picks lost on the first day of action at the tournament, so I figured it was safe to share my thoughts with everyone! : ) So here it goes:Dinara Safina (1) vs. Caroline Wozniacki (9): If you hadn't seen it, check out Naf's QF breakdown at Tennis With…

ZooTennis
Top Seed Berta, Defending Champion Robson Go Out in Third Round at Wimbledon

Colette Lewis

1 Jul 2009 | 5:15 pm

Top seed and French Junior champion Daniel Berta was pushed aside by unseeded American Alex Domijan today in the third round of the Wimbledon junior championships. Defending girls champion Laura Robson failed to last as long as Andy Murray this year at the AELTC, as the 15-year-old left-hander was stunned by unseeded Quirine Lemoine of the Netherlands.Domijan dominated today, taking out Berta 6-
Britton Signs with Octagon; Six Americans Reach Wimbledon Juniors Third Round

Colette Lewis

30 Jun 2009 | 6:20 pm

Devin Britton, the 2009 NCAA champion as a freshman at Ole Miss, will not be returning to college tennis this fall. In a story that Sports Illustrated's Jon Wertheim first broke on Twitter earlier today, the 18-year-old has signed with Octagon, the sports management company. Wertheim, who is at Wimbledon, has reported that Britton has been a very hot prospect this week, with agents flocking to
Oudin Loses, But American Juniors Go Undefeated at Wimbledon Monday

Colette Lewis

29 Jun 2009 | 5:36 pm

It was almost complete reversal of Saturday's results--U.S. juniors won seven of the eight first round singles matches they played today (one was suspended due to darkness), but Melanie Oudin's run came to an end at the hands of Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska. The 11th seed didn't dominate Oudin, but she played the big points more steadily and her experience and court savvy earned her a second
Nevolo Wins Open Event and ATP Indy wild card; Harrison Gets First Pro Circuit Title; Cako Takes Wichita Singles Crown

Colette Lewis

28 Jun 2009 | 5:41 pm

Thanks to Ken Thomas and radiotennis.com, I was able to fill the quiet middle Sunday of Wimbledon listening to the second set of the Pearson Ford Open in Indianapolis. Dennis Nevolo, who just completed his freshman year at the University of Illinois, was the No. 1 seed and had breezed through his first four matches. He was up against unseeded 30-year-old Javier Llanes of Argentina in the final,
Oudin Upsets Jankovic, but U.S. Juniors Have Rocky Start to Wimbledon; Britton Blogs for USTA

Colette Lewis

27 Jun 2009 | 1:39 pm

Seventeen-year-old American qualifier Melanie Oudin earned her first victory over a Top Ten player with a 6-7(8), 7-5, 6-2 decision over former world No. 1 and No. 6 seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in Saturday's third round at Wimbledon, and New York media has taken notice."American teen Melanie Oudin stuns Wimbledon with upset of Jankovic" says Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News, a

Tennis With Attitude
The Big "W": The big preview

Naf

21 Jun 2009 | 4:47 pm

I am pretty depressed that Rafa Nadal is sitting out this Wimbledon, especially considering last year's epic. So the preview this time will be different. How? Well, I guess you'll just have to read on to find out ...The menThe way it'll go down:Quarterfinals: Andy Roddick v. Juan Martin del Potro, Andy Murray v. Fernando Gonzalez, Tommy Haas v. Novak Djokovic, JoJo Tsonga v. Roger FedererSemifinals: del Potro v. Murray, Djokovic v. FedererFinal: Murray v. FedererWinner: Murray ...?Yeah, I'm off the charts! OK, first of all, I believe in Andy Murray. Kind of. I've listened to all my tennis…
LEAGUE WATCH: Three reasons to hate tennis

Naf

7 Jun 2009 | 1:55 pm

Last Saturday, I found myself in a strange place during my team's league match. Bed. As per the predetermined schedule, I was sitting for the match, and to be honest, I didn't really mind at first. I couldn't remember the last time I'd started a league season with two straight losses. OK, I can. But one good year has spoiled me, and I expect nothing but the best from myself. Plus, my second loss was a 6-2, 6-2 beatdown by an old lady who "sliced and diced me to death" -- her words. My words for that match probably involve some language not suitable for a family blog. I spent about an hour in…
FO'09: Android malfunction!

Naf

31 May 2009 | 4:32 pm

OK, my mouth is still hanging open, so it's a good thing this is a blog.It had to happen sometime, I guess. Nadal couldn't go undefeated at the French Open forever. But to have to lose to Robin Soderling? The same guy who openly mocked his wedgie issue at Wimbledon a couple years back? The guy who's going to lose in the next round? This is really the worst part of the whole thing. You lose to the Fed, or to Djokovic (another disappointment -- what is the deal with Philip Kohlschrieber? I mean, this guy shows up to a Slam about once every five years) or even Andy Murray, and that's…
FO'09: Hold that plane, James ...

Naf

29 May 2009 | 4:55 pm

6-0?Really, Venus, Really?Really? Let's face it -- time is running out for Venus Williams to win the French or Australia. Losing today to Agnes Szavay (who ain't winning this tournament) 6-0, 6-4 (?) obviously is not encouraging. Getting pushed to three sets by Bethanie Mattek and Lucie Safarova isn't good, either. While it's good to know that she could win Wimbledon the day after waking up from a three-year coma if she had to, it's really time for her and her crew to figure out why she can't win a major in the first five months of the year. To me, Australia is the most perplexing. She…
FO'09: Oh, Lord, Marat.

Naf

27 May 2009 | 3:23 pm

I'm crushed over this. What's the point of coming back from two sets down just to lose in overtime? I don't know how ready Safin really is for retirement, but I'm ready for it. Grr. The other thing I have to get off my chest is James Blake. That might not have come out right. All right, kids, heads out of the gutter. Seriously, so he loses in straight sets to someone who's never played in a major before! This guy he loses to, Mayer, doesn't even have a cool name like Maximo Gonzalez! No one's surprised to see Blake, or any other American, fall on their face in Paris. But what Blake had to say…

Down the Line: raw + uncut
Serena edges Elena in absolute thriller, to meet Venus in final

RiCH

2 Jul 2009 | 11:53 am

EPIC.In a rematch of their semifinal in Oz, Serena Williams + Elena Dementieva met up in the Wimbledon semifinals and put on the best ladies' match of the YEAR and maybe the best match since Venus Williams defeated Lindsay Davenport to raise the Venus Rosewater Dish in 2005. A round of applause please! *clap, clap, clap, clap*In an awe-inspiring display of Big Babe Tennis the pair traded blazing groundies and smacked huge serve after a serve in what could only be described as a high-quality slugfest to the finish. And in the end, ReRe edged out Elena 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 in the longest semifinal…
PHOTO OP: Ice bath orgy revisited featuring special guest

RiCH

1 Jul 2009 | 7:44 pm

Lucky us. Instead of the usual foursome (twice over) in Team Murray's ice bath orgy series, we now get five men-in-a-tub courtesy of a surprise guest appearance by none other than ROSS HUTCHINS!But by the look of Andy's face, he's the one getting a big surprise. I wonder what it could be?Oh Miles, do tell!(image via andymurray.com)
HotHaas stuns Nole, makes first Wimby semifinal (with Body Bonus!)

RiCH

1 Jul 2009 | 12:26 pm

Tommy Haas made good this time against one of the big boys.At the French Open last month, the German baller was up two sets and held a break point against eventual champ Roger Federer and caved in five. And today, HotHaas was up two sets on Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon quarters, lost the third but closed out an impressive 7-5, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 6-3 over the fourth seed.After the big win he told the press,You never know what’s around the corner for you if you keep believing and keep fighting. Who would have thought I’d be in the semifinals here at this stage of my career?If you would have…
VIDEO VAULT: Take it down a notch USTA - you won't be forgotten (no worries)

RiCH

30 Jun 2009 | 4:40 pm

Geez. The Wimbledon winners haven't even danced their dance at the annual Champion's Dinner yet and the USTA is already pimping out the 2009 Olympus US Open Series and the US Open with viral videos entitled "It Must Be Love". Slow down Tonto!Defending champs Roger Federer + Serena Williams along with sister Venus, Dinara Safina, and Andy Roddick are all featured in their own spot blabbering about something or another including chocolate, BFF dogs, and Fed discussing - uh - Fed. I know, shocker.But where's Nole's vid? Tennis' video vixen has the chops (and niplets) - you're missing out…
VIDEO VAULT: ReRe + Shrieka get crackin'

RiCH

30 Jun 2009 | 2:00 pm

"I'm Serena Williams. I have 10 Slams. Yo' bitch ass only got three.""I am Maria Sharapova. I am the highest paid athlete in the world. You're nothing but a 'hood ho from Compton."*dying*

Women Who Serve
Stosur and Bryan upset in Wimbledon mixed doubles

Diane

2 Jul 2009 | 5:23 pm

Number 2 mixed doubles seeds Samantha Stosur and Bob Bryan were upset today by 9th seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Mark Knowles. Groenefeld and Knowles posted a score of 0-6, 7-5, 6-3. Also upset were 4th seeds Hsieh Su-Wei and Kevin Ullyett, who lost to 12th seeds Virginia Ruano Pascual and Stephen Huss.
Wimbledon--what they said

Diane

2 Jul 2009 | 5:09 pm

Can you talk a little bit about how you separate Serena as the sister and then as the rival?"Well, it's real easy to separate it when you get a serve at about 127 and it comes back as a winner. You soon realize you're playing against an awesome player, and you better really get ready on your toes. So that's exactly when you separate it."Venus WilliamsCan you comment just two things: A woman who served 20 aces in a match like this, and the number 1 of the world who loses 6‑1, 6‑love. What you can say about that?"I served 20 aces today?"Serena Williams"...that was the best match we ever…
Serena Williams wins stunning semifinal at Wimbledon

Diane

2 Jul 2009 | 3:59 pm

What had to be the best match of the year took place today on Centre Court at Wimbledon. 2nd seed Serena Williams defeated 4th seed Elena Dementieva in an extravaganza of brilliant tennis. The 2-hour and 49-minute match--the longest women's semifinal in Wimbledon history--featured great serving, blistering groundstrokes, dramatic volleys, tense challenges, meaningful netcord events, and enough momentum shifts to crack the court open.Elena Dementieva, often relying on the deftness of her second serve, won the first set in a tiebreak, but it wasn't easy. Serving at 3-4, 0-40, Dementieva managed…
Injured defending champion Robson loses tough 3rd round match

Diane

1 Jul 2009 | 8:04 am

This is a match that--if you look at the stats--ended the way it should have, with a win by the unseeded Quirine Lemoine. But the 6-2, 4-6, 8-6 score also represents major come-from-behind action by 2nd seed and defending junior champion Laura Robson, whose back injury made it difficult for her to move on the court. Every time it looked as though Lemoine was about to win, Robson would somehow come up with a way to extend the match. She didn't come up with quite enough, though, and goes out in the third round. Robson had a wild card into the main draw, too, but lost in the first round to…
Wimbledon miscellany

Diane

1 Jul 2009 | 7:04 am

If you haven't already done so, check out the Wimbledon website's new "Visual Match" feature, which enables you to graphically analyze what happened in a given match.Sue Mott interviews Serena Williams for the BBC, and the interview is worth watching ("I'm a little crazy; I wouldn't want to date me").Here is a profile of Regina Kulikova, the Russian qualifier who defeated 27th seed Alisa Kleybanova in the second round.Simon Reed says Serena Williams is the best tennis player in the world, and she will win the Wimbledon title.Judy Murray, former Scottish women's champion and mother of Andy…

GOTOTENNIS
WIMBLEDON LADIES SEMIFINAL WRAP: THE BEST OF TIMES, THE WORST OF TIMES

freakyfrites

2 Jul 2009 | 5:17 pm

That would be the Dementieva vs. Williams match, wouldn’t it? My goodness, that was fun. Serena and Elena battled it out in a riveting semifinal match today, with Serena eventually coming back...
CAUGHT ON TAPE: ELENA DEMENTIEVA CAN SERVE

freakyfrites

2 Jul 2009 | 12:43 pm

I’m still catching up on today’s fantastic ladies’ Wimbledon semi-finals (you know there’s a good match waiting on the DVR when non-tennis fans are leaving “Wow!”...
TENNIS FANS UNITE! TELL NBC THAT WIMBLEDON TAPE DELAY IS NOT OKAY

freakyfrites

1 Jul 2009 | 11:57 pm

We’re mad as hell, aren’t we American tennis fans? NBC’s tape delayed “protections” have ruined the second week of Wimbledon – slicing and dicing the coverage in a...
WIMBLEDON MENS QUARTERFINALS WRAP: DISASTERS, TOUGH BREAKS AND PANDYMONIUM

freakyfrites

1 Jul 2009 | 5:27 pm

I missed the Roddick vs. Hewitt thiller! Why? Because NBC’s “protected” tape-delayed coverage messes up everything here in the Western time zone, and it makes hunting for tennis on...
WIMBLEDON QUARTERFINALS PREVIEW: SWINE FLU, SUNBURN AND DIRTY DANCING

freakyfrites

30 Jun 2009 | 7:30 pm

“New Yorkers love it when you spill your guts out there. You spill your guts out at Wimbledon, and they make you stop and clean it up.” – Jimmy Connors. It’s gut-check time...

NICK BOLLETTIERI: GRAND SLAM PICKS
Three Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy students reach semis of Junior Wimbledon

Nick's Picks

2 Jul 2009 | 8:34 am

Bernard Tomic training at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy Three of the players left in the semis of the Boys’ Singles at Junior Wimbledon all make their home at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy. Jordan Cox, Devin Britton, and Bernard Tomic all train at the NBTA and all three have a chance to win the title in London. Britton, who just won the NCAA Men’s Singles championship, will face Cox, while Tomic will take on Andrey Kuznetsov of Russia in the other semi. There is a real possibility that the finals of Junior Wimbledon will pit two NBTA students against each other. Cox,…
2009 Wimbledon – Nick’s Picks – Men’s Singles Semifinals

Nick's Picks

2 Jul 2009 | 6:18 am

Every day throughout Wimbledon Nick’s Picks will bring you the latest analysis and predictions. We are also teaming up with The Independent Newspaper in London to cover the event! Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Tommy Haas (GER) Federer did what no one else has been able to do in this tournament: break Ivo Karlovic’s serve. He did it two times and didn’t face a single break point on his own serve. Federer has now reached the semis of 21consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, which is a remarkable streak in itself. I don’t think there is anyone playing better than Mr. Federer right now and it is…
2009 Wimbledon – Nick’s Picks – Women’s Singles Semifinals

Nick's Picks

1 Jul 2009 | 8:33 am

Every day throughout Wimbledon Nick’s Picks will bring you the latest analysis and predictions. We are also teaming up with The Independent Newspaper in London to cover the event! Dinara Safina (RUS) vs. Venus Williams (USA) Safina fought very hard in her quarterfinal win over Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy student Sabine Lisicki. This is Safina’s first appearance in the semifinals of Wimbledon and her fourth consecutive Grand Slam overall where she has reached at least the semis. This is a great chance for her to prove to everyone that she is the best player in the world, because a win…
2009 Wimbledon – Nick’s Picks Results Grid

Nick's Picks

1 Jul 2009 | 8:20 am

WTA Tour RD Player 1 Player 2 Nick’s Pick Result Correct WTA 1 Jelena Jankovic Julia Georges Jankovic in 2 sets Jankovic Yes WTA 1 Venus Williams Stefanie Voegele V. Williams in 2 sets V. Williams Yes WTA 1 Vera Zvonareva Georgie Stoop Zvonareva in 2 sets Zvonareva Yes WTA 1 Michelle Larcher de Brito Klara Zakapalova Larcher de Brito in 3 sets Larcher de Brito Yes WTA 2 Nadia Petrova Shahar Peer Petrova in 3 sets Petrova Yes WTA 2 Dominika Cibulkova Urszula Radwanska Cibulkova in 3 sets Cibulkova Yes WTA 2 Sabine Lisicki Patricia Mayr Lisicki in 3 sets Lisicki Yes WTA 2 Dinara Safina…
2009 Wimbledon – Nick’s Picks – Men’s Singles Quarterfinals

Nick's Picks

30 Jun 2009 | 10:25 am

Every day throughout Wimbledon Nick’s Picks will bring you the latest analysis and predictions. We are also teaming up with The Independent Newspaper in London to cover the event! Roger Federer (SUI) vs. Ivo Karlovic (CRO) Federer extended his winning streak over Robin Soderling to 11, when he beat the Swede to reach the quarterfinals. He has now reached at least the quarterfinals in 21 consecutive Grand Slams and has been to the finals of 17 of the last 20 Grand Slams. He is looking for his sixth Wimbledon title and his record breaking 15th Grand Slam singles title. Karlovic is into the…

MVN
Tom Gieryn: Daily Tidbits, Latin American Prospects and Yunel Trade Possibilities?

1 Jul 2009 | 1:05 pm

All right, a couple tidbits from the morning's news that bear worth sharing.First, the Braves are as active as ever in this year's international market. They haven't been rumored in connection to any of the super-hyped Latin American prospects, but we're now getting some reports of some lower-bonus guys they might be looking at. Baseball America reports the Braves' are hot on the trail of lefty Edgar Ferreira, who can hit 93-94 MPH with his fastball. Jorge Arangure of ESPN tweets that Braves' international scouting director Johnny Almaraz watched the workout of shortstop…
A real mystery: The continuing employment of Austin Kearns

1 Jul 2009 | 12:31 pm

Let's just establish this immediately: Austin Kearns is not a quality Major League Baseball player. He was at one time, 2007 was the last time, but no longer. He's 29 years old, doesn't play the outfield well, is batting .197 with 3 HR and 16 RBI, and slugging percentage of .322 [actually an improvement over last season]. In other words, he doesn't really belong in the Majors, not even on the worst team in the Majors. He might do better in AAA, but considering his age it is probably time for Mr Kearns to consider his life after baseball. [That's Mr Kearns in the photo to the right, doing what…
In Defense Of Carlos Zambrano

1 Jul 2009 | 11:57 am

For those over-the-hill columnists and Cubs fans (and White Sox trolls) who believe the Cubs are better off trading Carlos Zambrano for a "bag of balls," let's take a look at what they are advocating giving up. Over the last seven seasons, there are nine pitchers who have won 90 or more games (wins being a statistic the angry hordes can understand and usually cling to): Johan Santana (107), Roy Halladay (104), Roy Oswalt (100), Carlos Zambrano (95), Andy Pettitte (94), CC Sabathia (94), Derek Lowe (92), Josh Beckett (90) and Mark Buehrle (90). Of those, only Sabathia is…
Z Pays You No Mind

1 Jul 2009 | 11:44 am

Carlos Zambrano doesn't much care what you think: PITTSBURGH -- Carlos Zambrano had some fun with an unscientific Tribune fan poll in which 57.2 percent of respondents said he should be moved, as Phil Rogers suggested in a column Monday "Fine, trade me to Boston," Zambrano said. Last weekend Zambrano said he would play for only two other teams than the Cubs -- Boston and the White Sox. But apparently he changed his mind about the White Sox now that he knows pitching coach Don Cooper doesn't care for him. In truth, the Cubs can't send Zambrano anywhere without his approval. "Got the…
Spurs announce Summer League roster

1 Jul 2009 | 11:28 am

A few familiar faces and a few new ones will comprise the Spurs Summer League roster, which begins play in Los Vegas on July 12.The roster is made up of:Malik HairstonGeorge HillJames GistNando De ColoDonnell TaylorCarldell "Squeaky" JohnsonEric DawsonAntonio AndersonMarcus ViniciusRomel BeckIan MahinmiJack McClintonAlonzo GeeDeJuan BlairYou may already know plenty about Hairston, Hill, Gist and Mahinmi, but Project Spurs will be profiling some of the lesser-known players beginning next Monday.

Tennis-tips-tactics
Federer's New Drop Shot

The Tennis Doctor

15 Jun 2009 | 6:17 am

Stubborn Roger Federer they all said.For the last three years every tennis fan/critic in the world has had words of advice for Roger Federer especially on how to play Rafael Nadal.Coaches came and went and always the refrain was --that Rog fellow is too stubborn.We all talked about the backhand return and what he should do. We talked about not rallying with Nadal but attacking persistently.Irony of irony -- Federer adds to his game, gets a glimpse of the success of his new tactics in the altitude of the Madrid, and then watches his rival crash out in the middle rounds of the French Open.So,…
Should You Return Like Nadal?

The Tennis Doctor

10 May 2009 | 3:43 pm

Watch Rafael Nadal as he returns serve, especially on clay.What you'll see is that Nadal stands way back to return and then hits a high, looping, heavy topspin, return off both the forehand and backhand.Nadal is basically saying that he is so confident in his ability to chase down a second shot, that he is choosing to give himself as much time as possible to rip a heavy return.Many other players stand in tighter and return with an abbreviated stroke, using the pace of the serve.On clay, I think it's definitely worthwhile to try Nadal's strategy aspecially if you have heavy groundstrokes which…
Those Savvy Defensive Players

The Tennis Doctor

30 Mar 2009 | 6:58 am

Every once in a while, you come across an opponent whose winning record seems in sharp contradiction to the way he looks while playing.Sometimes, these guys look slow, hit with no power, and yet they beat almost everybody except for the the top players.I had the opportunity to play such a player this past weekend. Now, this fellow comes with quite a tennis pedigree having been on touring junior teams for a South American country and having played the Orange Bowl tennis tournament.The obvious way to play these type of players is to try and hit through them. But, this fellow's defense was…
What The Club Player Can Learn From Nadal And Murray

The Tennis Doctor

26 Mar 2009 | 2:40 pm

Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray are two of the best players in the world. They both play a primarily defensive game although Nadal can convert to offense in an instant which I think makes him so incredible.But, as I watching the most recent match between the two (the final at Indian Wells),I was struck by the intelligence of the types of shots they were both playing as they played defense in points.When in a little bit of trouble, perhaps pulled out wide, watch how Nadal and Murray often hit loopy, deep shots with less pace than their normal groundstrokes.They don't panic at all. They hit these…
Old School Forehand Versus Modern Forehand

The Tennis Doctor

15 Mar 2009 | 2:33 pm

If you're of a certain vintage, then you learned to play tennis with the classic linear forehand. You took the racket back early, played mostly neutral or closed stance, and followed through toward the target.The modern forehand clearly looks different. It involves different grips and the use of more rotational force. The effect is far more spin, control, and angles.There are really 2 issues to discuss here.The first is the advantage of the modern forehand versus the classical for the club player. The second is how to hit the modern forehand and retrain yourself.Let's start off with the first…

The Tennis Centre
Karlovic loss saves me 250 big ones

mjweatherup

1 Jul 2009 | 1:11 pm

There was no-one happier than me that Roger Federer defeated Ivo Karlovic in straight sets earlier today. One of my friends is a massive Karlovic supporter and two years ago I bet him £250 that Big Ivo would not reach a grand slam semi final in his career and my goodness, he came a little bit too close to achieving this feat for my liking. Federer, who has reached his 21st consequtive grand slam semi final, thankfully tamed the big serving Croatian in style breaking him twice with relevant ease. Breaking the 6′10 giant was particularly significant as he had not been broken in a…
Three days in the stands at SW19

mjweatherup

30 Jun 2009 | 7:14 am

My apologies for the lack of content recently – last week I jumped on the train to Wimbledon on three occasions in four days. I dreaded the sweaty uncomfortable hour-and-a-half journey but once I arrived at Southfields Station my travel woes were forgotten and I was looking forward to the day of tennis ahead. I had ground tickets on Wednesday, court one tickets on Friday and centre court tickets on Saturday which meant for a high intensity Wimbledon experience! Read Wednesday’s match analysis here. On exit from Southfields the first port of call was always the bookies…
In depth analysis – Nicolas Almagro vs Karol Beck

mjweatherup

30 Jun 2009 | 6:48 am

Wimbledon second round match analysis - Nicolas Almagro vs Karol Beck By Amir Mehrad, the newest addition to the Tennis Centre writing team. On paper, this looked to be fairly straight forward encounter for Nicolas Almagro. Ranked 95 places higher than what turned out to be a formidable opponent in Karol Beck, he arrived on court first and looked ready to progress. That looked the case from early on, as he used his powerful forehand to devastating effect. Rallies were scarce in the first set as both players struggled to come to terms with each others high percentage of first serves…
A Great Experience for Ward

mjweatherup

23 Jun 2009 | 4:28 pm

James Ward was beaten by Fernando Verdasco in the first round of Wimbledon however he didn’t go down without a fight. Ward, playing in his first ever grand slam event, started nervously and lost the first set in 24 minutes however he started to find his feet on Court 1 in the second. He got much more involved in the return games and was able to match the Spaniard from the back of the court on many occasions. In the third set he looked even more comfortable and had two chances to go 5-3 up when he piled the pressure on the seventh seed who coughed up some un-forced errors.
Ward practices with J.C.Ferrero ahead of Verdasco clash

mjweatherup

22 Jun 2009 | 6:38 am

James Ward has warmed up for his first ever Wimbledon match against Fernando Verdasco by hitting with former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero over the weekend. Ward has become close friends with Ferrero after joining his Equelite Acedemy based in Valencia age 15. The British number four told me yesterday that his preparations for his match have been going very well and that he is feeling in great shape going into the match. This is a massive occasion for James and The Tennis Centre wishes him the best of luck. The match will be taking place at around 4pm today on the BBC.

Tennisinfoblog.com
Don’t mess with Kournikova

Nina

1 Jul 2009 | 3:17 pm

She hasn’t been playing professional tennis for several years already, but she still somehow manages to make headlines when Wimbledon is in full swing. Russian former tennis player Anna Kournikova was reportedly involved in a bar brawl in Las Vegas on Saturday after a woman threw a drink over her. The woman who was apparently drunk was ejected, but not before leaving Anna with scratches on her neck.
Video: Serena’s interview with BBC

Nina

1 Jul 2009 | 2:28 pm

“I’m a little crazy; I wouldn’t want to date me,” says Serena Williams during her interview with BBC on the eve of Wimbledon. I wouldn’t call me a Serena Fan, but I cannot deny that she is a great player and an interesting character. Watch the interview here. (via Women Who Serve)
Super Monday at Wimbledon

Nina

29 Jun 2009 | 5:19 am

You can’t miss any tennis match today. Look at the order of play today. All the big names are in action. CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START 1. Robin Soderling (SWE) [13] vs Roger Federer (SUI) [2] 2. Dinara Safina (RUS) [1] vs Amelie Mauresmo (FRA) [17] 3. Andy Murray (GBR) [3] vs Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) [19] COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START 1. Venus Williams (USA) [3] vs Ana Ivanovic (SRB) [13] 2. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) [7] vs Ivo Karlovic (CRO) [22] 3. Tomas Berdych (CZE) [20] vs Andy Roddick (USA) [6] COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START 1. Elena Vesnina (RUS) vs Elena…
Melanie Oudin Upsets Jelena Jankovic at Wimbledon

Nina

27 Jun 2009 | 9:04 am

Jelena Jankovic is upset by an American player, and her last name is not Williams. Melanie Oudin, a 17-year-old qualifier from Marietta, Ga., has achieved the biggest upset of the first week at Wimbledon by beating former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-2. She’s ranked 124th and will be in the top 100 for the first time after the tournament. I bet now all the U.S. commentators are weighing in if she could be the future of the U.S. women’s tennis. Let’s admit is, the U.S. tennis community has been looking for new women stars for quite a long time.
Serena Williams on Michael Jackson

Nina

27 Jun 2009 | 5:59 am

Q. What did Michael Jackson mean to you personally? Would you think about dedicating today’s victory perhaps? SERENA WILLIAMS: No, I mean, he was a great guy, a complete icon. Words can’t express my shock and horror, you know, just thoughts and prayers that go out to him and his family and just everything. It’s just terrible, terrible, terrible thing. (more…)

HOW TO PLAY BETTER TENNIS
Learning From Federer – Soderling Rematch

Tomaz

29 Jun 2009 | 1:02 pm

Roger Federer and Robin Soderling met again after the Roland Garros final in the fourth round at Wimbledon 2009. Here are some thoughts on the match… Soderling played the first set exactly the way he should have played the final of Roland Garros; he played very aggressively, hitting close to the lines and he didn’t give [...]
Nike Launches A New Roger Federer Fan Website

Tomaz

26 Jun 2009 | 8:08 am

Nike Tennis has just launched a fun, interactive website that offers tennis fans around the world, the ability to view and post messages of support to Roger. If you’re a Roger Federer fan, then this site offers the following interactive experiences: - Send/Post a message of support to Roger - Share your message with friends via Facebook & [...]
Slovenia With 3 Players In The First Round Of Wimbledon 2009

Tomaz

23 Jun 2009 | 6:54 am

I just wanted to congratulate the 3 players from Slovenia who managed to enter the main draw in Wimbledon. This is the first time that Slovenia had 3 players in a Grand Slam main draw in singles. Maša Zec Peškirič, ranked currently #98 in WTA, lost to Urszula Radwanska 6-3, 6-3 and it was her first [...]
Why Did Rafael Nadal Withdraw From Wimbledon 2009?

Tomaz

20 Jun 2009 | 6:50 am

Rafael Nadal has announced just a three days before the Wimbledon 2009 that has will not play. While withdrawing from a tournament because of an injury is the right thing to do for a professional tennis player who plans to play many more years, Nadal said a few things that don’t sound very professionally. He just [...]
Pressure To Keep Winning Matches

Tomaz

8 Jun 2009 | 11:17 pm

Ever since this year, my whole family has really gotten into tennis and they’re always talking about it. This continues to actually scare me because both my older brother and younger sister are getting really good fast and so am I. But now my mom and dad have suddenly invested a lot of money into different [...]

New Balls, Please
Adult matches mid season report

24 Jun 2009 | 1:36 am

Hi Sproughton . It has been an interesting season so far - firstly our ladies started badly losing their first 3 matches , but have now won the last 3 to be in with a chance of staying up in div 1 - no mean feat as poor Christine Nugent has been unable to play due to injury the whole season . Mens 1 has struggled badly in the top division winning 1 and losing 4 , looking forward to going down and being competitive in div 2 next season ! Mens 2 has also struggled due to long term injuries to many players , anyone out there who wants to play good standard tennis in div 3 get in contact…
Junior tournaments

24 Jun 2009 | 12:49 am

Hi Sproughton tennis fans . The junior tournies have been held and the roll of honour is here : The Premier league for the 11-16 year olds singles , have a new champion , the winner being James Kerrison , dethroning last year's champ to 2nd Patrick Gravett-Curl , in 3rd place was George Brobbin , - Girls champ was again Eileen Brobbin with a strong performance from Lucy Sheppard improving to 2nd , and Francine Hodgson receiving the bronze . The youngsters had their own tournie , - Ben Williamson winning the junior singles with 25 pts , and followed by runner-up Ben Danskin…
Club tournaments

9 Sep 2008 | 7:49 am

Hi All . The club tournaments have had a surge of matches played since the league matches have finished , and some interesting results - in the main singles , no 2 seed Chris Prior was knocked out in three sets by Brian Samuel , who played extremely well , he will now play Nicky Lapworth in the semi-final who K O'd Matthew Chappell . In the other half , Steve Williams won the match of the tournie so far beating Adrian Goff two sets to one after losing the first set , this match was played in a heavy downpour , I know because I was playing at the same time ! The players were soaked at…
Summer season matches

31 Aug 2008 | 1:19 pm

Hi All . The summer season's matches have all been completed now , and a successful season it was for the club . Pride of place must go to the ladies who have finished as runners-up in the top division , closely followed by the mixed 1st team , who stayed up by finishing 3rd in the top division also , a great achievement just to stay up . The mens team won 7 and lost 1 regaining their status in the top flight for next year , whilst the mens 2 followed them up with a win loss record of 6-2 gaining promotion to div 2 , the only disappointment was the mixed 2nd team who won 2 and…
Summer league matches

15 Jul 2008 | 1:56 am

The summer league fixtures are 80% completed now , but lots of issues remain , although we know that the mens 1st team have won promotion back to the top division , with a win loss recors of 5-1 , the mixed 1st team have a job on their hands to keep their place in the top division , at the moment we have had 3 wins and 3 losses , one more win would secure our place in the elite , but it depends on other results . The ladies have also won 3 lost 3 in the top division , and have done so well , but again really need an extra win from the two remaining games . The mens two team have…

Grand Slam Tennis Tours Blog
TEST

Jeremy

1 Jul 2009 | 8:58 am

TEST
Links Only

Jeremy

13 May 2009 | 1:34 pm

With 8 days remaining til I go to Paris, I don’t have much time to post anything besides links. One quick note – Gasquet, who should be punished if he is ultimately found guilty of the cocaine allegations, should raise all kinds of hell if he is indeed suspended for the reported two years. Considering a typical suspension for first time PED offenders in tennis is 7 months, doesn’t two years sound absurd? That would be like a parent grouding a child for three months after a DUI, but only not feeding the kid dessert after his third stint in rehab. James Martin agrees. So…
Wednesday Links

Jeremy

6 May 2009 | 12:21 pm

Nalbandian may be out awhile with hip surgery. I thought betting on tennis was illegal? Great piece by Tandon on a ‘legend‘ of the ATP circuit. Newest Wertheim mailbag. And Ad In/Ad Out Feature. (An ‘ad in’ for Coria, really?) Congrats to Hewitt. I feel terribly for Jelena Dokic, and anyone else her nut of a father has hurt. Scroll down to May 4th to read tweets from Courier live during a match! See, I knew Federer was still the best.
Tired of the Williams Act

Jeremy

5 May 2009 | 11:43 am

Update: Serena lost her first round match to Patty Schynder, just a few days after announcing she was “the best in the world.” Classic. Let me start off by saying I respect and admire both Venus & Serena as players. They are thrilling to watch (especially against each other), and helped to revitalize interest in Women’s tennis that was sorely lacking after greats like Steffi Graf started to leave the game. I am tired of them, though. I doubt I’m alone with these thoughts. When I woke up on Monday, poured my bowl of Frosted Flakes, put some…
Stop the Presses!

Jeremy

30 Apr 2009 | 10:54 am

Roger Federer just dominated a formidable opponent for what seems like the first time in months. Facing Radek Stepanek in the Round of 16 in Rome, whom Federer lost to in the same event last year, Federer rolled over the Czech Vet 6-4, 6-1. In other startling news, James Blake lost to a qualifier in the first round. Ok, so that was a bit sarcastic, Blake’s slow start has obviously become cause for concern. However I am not as concerned as others; he hasn’t lost a step or lost his mechanics, he has simply lost some confidence. All it takes is a big match or two to get…

AndyRoddick.com
“124 home…4 left”

andyroddick.com

2 Jul 2009 | 10:06 am

As Andy continues the countdown on his twitter, fans are gearing up for one of the most anticipated matches of the season: The Battle of the Andy’s. Taking Centre Stage Friday, Roddick and Murray will carry the hopes and hearts of their countries as the men battle for a coveted spot in 2009 Wimbledon Finals. While Roddick has always been well received and supported in London, Team Roddick knows they are facing the fans on Murray Mount tomorrow. Andy joked that regardless of which Andy the crowd is cheering for, it will be invigorating. “I think the crowd’s going be electric. I think…
Wimbledon Interview - June 1st

andyroddick.com

2 Jul 2009 | 7:12 am

Q. We have a revival of the, New Balls Please generation here in Wimbledon. Is that because experience is very helpful especially on grass, or are there other reasons for that? ANDY RODDICK: I don’t think it’s either/or. It’s probably a combination. Now we’re just old balls. Q. You’ve won a lot of big matches over your career. Does this one rank up there recently in importance when you add it all up, the opponent, the stage, five sets? ANDY RODDICK: Yeah, I mean, it certainly wasn’t short on drama. I’ve never been real good at comparing matches, you…
Andy Soars into Semis

andyroddick.com

1 Jul 2009 | 12:58 pm

The sun fades over Court 1. After three hours of play, and shortly into the deciding fifth set in the Quarterfinals of arguably the biggest show in tennis, Andy finds himself on serve 1 -2, facing a break point against the wily Lleyton Hewitt. These are the moments that make Champions. These are the moments that Andy works all year to overcome. Through the silence of the packed stadium, Andy roars as he saves the break to battle on. And battle on he did, piecing the pressure packed set with cunning shot play and strategic defense to book a spot in the coveted semifinals, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6, 4-6,…
Former Number Ones Ready for Quarterfinals

andyroddick.com

30 Jun 2009 | 10:48 am

“Lleyton’s not going to give you anything,” Andy noted with the press last night when looking ahead to his quarterfinal opponent, Lleyton Hewitt. Two of the former world number one’s, with the other two being Federer and Ferrero, will face off Wednesday, second of Court 1 after a 1pm BST start. These two formers have battled 11 times before; even though our number one American has taken the last four wins, two this year- one in Memphis and the other recently at Queen’s Club, he is still trailing 5-6 in their head-to-head. Hewitt is currently climbing back up the ATP Rankings…
Wimbledon Quarterfinal Spot Sealed Over Berdych

andyroddick.com

29 Jun 2009 | 2:55 pm

With scattered raindrops throughout the day, Andy remained strong and steady to storm past the number 20 seed, Tomas Berdych, in one hour and 48 minutes, 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-3. “I was kind of in control of it the whole way,” Andy noted post-match. “I felt like I was getting looks more than he was.” The first set was the real battle, lasting 50 minutes with unanswerable shots and unbreakable serves, almost. Though the American let a few break points slip through his strings earlier in the set, that was not the case during the tie break. Andy broke first to lead 5-3 and then ran away with…

ATP Backspin by Todd Spiker
Wimbledon Preview: Back to the Federer

Todd Spiker

20 Jun 2009 | 5:47 pm

All right, everybody into the De Lorean. We're about to take a trip... back to the future.With defending champion Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from the Wimbledon draw, the entire landscape of the happenings at the All-England Club changes. Why, it's going to be like we've jumped into a time machine, but ended up back in the current day. Roger Federer is the top seed. Andy Roddick is a legitimate threat to reach the final (as he did from 2004-05, before the run of three straight Roger/Rafa matchups). And a Brit (now named Andy, not Tim) will be carrying the hopes of a nation on his back.Keeping…
The People's Champion

Todd Spiker

8 Jun 2009 | 2:39 pm

After so many years of placing Roger Federer upon a high pedestal, the past year has been particularly disconcerting. Federer went from being called "The Greatest of All Time" to being considered possibly the SECOND-best of his GENERATION in the blink of an eye.Over a twelve-month span, wrapped around his fifth straight U.S. Open title run, we saw Federer beat down in Paris, shellshocked in London, and brought to dejected tears in Melbourne. In March, the weight of the combined experiences seemed to come to a head in Miami when he furiously crushed his racket on the court and talked about…
RG.9- Five Points from Oblivion

Todd Spiker

1 Jun 2009 | 2:06 pm

The House of Federer very nearly imploded on Court Chatrier today.With neither Rafa Nadal nor Novak Djokovic around anymore, Roger Federer came into his Day 9 Round of 16 match against Tommy Haas as the player under a magnifying glass. As the new "favorite" to win Roland Garros, even he had to know that every point he played today took on additional importance in the grand scheme of things.And, at the start, he played just as one would expect an all-time great staring history in the face to play. His tennis, at least on serve, was nearly spotless. Through twelve games in the 1st set, he'd yet…
RG.8- Mister Federer's Lucky Weekend

Todd Spiker

31 May 2009 | 11:04 pm

And on the final weekend of May 2009, Roger Federer smiled.Or at least he should have, as one day after Novak Djokovic was sent packing at Roland Garros... gulp... so was Rafael Nadal.Yes, it's true. After four years, thirty-one straight wins, four RG title runs with just seven sets lost before Sunday, Nadal was out-hit, outstretched and outplayed by big #23-seed Robin Soderling of Sweden, who won 6-2/6-7/6-4/7-6 on a windy Paris day when everything we thought we knew about this tournament turned out to be wrong.So, apparently, Nadal's Madrid loss to Federer, two near-misses against Novak…
Roland Garros Preview: Intrigue in Paris, or an Elaborate Fake-Out?

Todd Spiker

23 May 2009 | 4:04 pm

The general rule for quite a few years now has been that Rafa Nadal rules Roland Garros. It's probably still the case as he's set to begin to attempt to claim his fifth straight French title.But is it really?While he once again dominated the European clay season this year, his results against his two biggest challengers -- Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic -- at least leave the door open a tiny crack when it comes to ruminating on whether or not the Spaniard winning another slam title, and getting half-way to a Grand Slam, truly is a fait accompli.Djokovic played Nadal as close as anyone could…

The Tennis Times
Lindsay Davenport Gave Birth to Healthy Baby Girl

The Insider

30 Jun 2009 | 1:01 pm

It has been reported that three time Grand Slam champion Lindsay Davenport has given birth to her second child. Davenport gave birth to a healthy baby girl and she and husband Jon Leach cant be happier. They have named the new baby Lauren Andrus Davenport Leach. The married couple already have a two-year old son named Jagger. Tony Godsick, the tennis star’s agent, said on Sunday that both the mom and daughter are doing great. He added that the other members of the family were ecstatic. Related Articles Lindsay Davenport Places 2 of Her House on the Market Lindsay Davenport To Commentate at…
Sabine Lisicki and Caroline Wozniacki Rumble at the Net

The Insider

30 Jun 2009 | 1:59 am

I love it when tennis players get all upset over the smallest things. Here is a match yesterday at Wimbledon between Sabine Lisicki and Caroline Wozniacki, the two ladies but each other at the net during a change over. How funny! Is it just me or do both of these girls look exactly the same? I really wish these clothing companies would give some more of their top players just a different outfit to wear! Related Articles Justin Timberlake seen at Wimbledon but not by Andy Murray Marin Cilic and Sam Querrey Best Match Wimbledon 2009 So Far Here are Prizemoney Breakdowns for Wimbledon 2009…
Serena Williams Now Becomes a Script Writer

The Insider

29 Jun 2009 | 2:43 am

Serena Williams seems to think she can take over the world one little bit at a time. This time she is taking her hand to writing a TV script. Serena’s show takes some ideas from her three favourite shows “Desperate Housewives,” “Sex and the City” and “Family Guy.” I find it a little funny how Serena thinks she is an actress, a clothing designer and now even a script writer. It will be interesting to see if any of these hobbies really pays off, but I doubt it very much. Related Articles Grunting Female Tennis Players, Stop! Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez…
Justin Timberlake seen at Wimbledon but not by Andy Murray

The Insider

28 Jun 2009 | 6:51 pm

There seems to be a lot of celebrities heading over to SW19 and Wimbledon this year. Andy Murray mentioned on his Twitter that Justin Timberlake was wondering around the grounds, but he was still yet to see him. I love it when even the top players are really keen to meet other celebrities. Just really proves that even the top players are just normal people and they still admire people in other industries and areas. Related Articles Sabine Lisicki and Caroline Wozniacki Rumble at the Net Marin Cilic and Sam Querrey Best Match Wimbledon 2009 So Far Here are Prizemoney Breakdowns for Wimbledon…
Ana Ivanovic Dating Adam Scott

The Insider

28 Jun 2009 | 12:32 pm

We can now confirm that Ana Ivanovic is dating Australian golfing sensation Adam Scott. The pair met at the start of the year in Australia and have been spending more and more time together ever since. Scott recently pulled out of the Tiger Woods AT&T National to head over to Wimbledon and watch Ana play. The relationship is still yet to come out officially in the public domain, but in this case it has been confirmed by several close sources. Related Articles Wimbledon Pre Tournament Players Party 2009 Eastbourne: Petrova vs Ivanovic Ana Ivanovic’s Dress for Wimbledon 2009 Ana…

On the Baseline Tennis News
Wimbledon Set for All-Williams Women’s Final

Aaress Lawless

2 Jul 2009 | 8:24 am

The Fourth of July at Wimbledon will showcase an All-American (and All-Williams) affair. Venus and Serena Williams have advanced for the second consecutive year into the women’s final. Serena Williams played one of the most spectacular matches of her career on Thursday. Serena, who finished as runner-up to Venus in 2008, outlasted Elena Dementieva in an epic encounter on Centre Court. Both Williams and Dementieva brought their finest tennis to the court today, and after nearly three hours of play, Serena Williams emerged as the winner with a 6-7(4), 7-5, 8-6 victory. Dementieva, one of…
Preview of the 2009 Wimbledon Semifinals

Aaress Lawless

1 Jul 2009 | 2:24 pm

Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva are bidding to make history on Thursday by setting up the first all-Russian final at Wimbledon. But Venus and Serena Williams, two formidable opponents, are standing in their way. Only two Russians have reached the championship match at Wimbledon during the Open Era, Olga Morozova (runner-up in 1974) and Maria Sharapova (champion in 2004). Russia remains the most dominant nation in women’s tennis and swept the medal platform at last year’s Summer Olympics in Beijing. Elena Dementieva (RUS)[4] v. Serena Williams (USA)[2] Expect this match to be…
Wimbledon July 1 Results / July 2 Schedule

Aaress Lawless

1 Jul 2009 | 2:02 pm

Wimbledon 2009 Watch Wimbledon Live Online on ESPN360.com Results - Wednesday, July 1, 2009 Doubles - Quarterfinals (1) Black/Huber (ZIM/USA) d. (11) Llagostera Vives/Martínez Sánchez (ESP/ESP) 46 63 60 (2) Medina Garrigues/Ruano Pascual (ESP/ESP) d. Kleybanova/Makarova (RUS/RUS) 64 75 (3) Stosur/Stubbs (AUS/AUS) d. Barrois/Garbin (GER/ITA) 16 63 64 (4) Williams/Williams (USA/USA) d. (12) Groenefeld/King (GER/USA) 62 75 Schedule for Day 10: Thursday, 2 July 2009 Centre Court 13:00 Start 1. Ladies’ Singles - Semifinals Elena Dementieva (RUS)[4] v. Serena Williams (USA)[2] 2.
Wimbledon June 30 Results / July 1 Schedule

Aaress Lawless

30 Jun 2009 | 6:01 pm

Wimbledon 2009 Watch Wimbledon Live Online on ESPN360.com Results - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Singles - Quarterfinals (1) Dinara Safina (RUS) d. Sabine Lisicki (GER) 67(5) 64 61 (2) Serena Williams (USA) d. (8) Victoria Azarenka (BLR) 62 63 (3) Venus Williams (USA) d. (11) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 61 62 (4) Elena Dementieva (RUS) d. Francesca Schiavone (ITA) 62 62 Schedule for Day 9: Wednesday, 1 July 2009 Centre Court 13:00 Start 1. Gentlemen’s Singles - Quarterfinals Ivo Karlovic (CRO)[22] v. Roger Federer (SUI)[2] 2. Gentlemen’s Singles - Quarterfinals Andy Murray (GBR)[3] v.
Dinara, Serena, Venus, Elena Complete Wimbledon Final Four

Aaress Lawless

30 Jun 2009 | 5:06 pm

Venus and Serena Williams moved one step closer to a blockbuster final showdown on Tuesday at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Both Williams sisters advanced to Thursday’s semifinals, along with Dinara Safina and Elena Dementieva. For the first time since 2006, the seedings have held with all top four seeds reaching the semifinals. Standing in the way of a second consecutive All-Williams Wimbledon final is the Russian pair, who will each face a sister on Thursday. The top seed and world number one Dinara Safina reached the final four after an erratic win over German Sabine…

Global Village Tennis News
Wimbledon Order of Play for Friday 3 July 2009

Global Village Tennis News

2 Jul 2009 | 12:30 pm

The Championships 2009Intended Order of Play for Friday 3 July 2009COMPLETECENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START1. Tommy Haas (GER) [24] 73 vs Roger Federer (SUI) [2] 1282. Andy Roddick (USA) [6] 32 vs Andy Murray (GBR) [3] 33COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START1. Cara Black (ZIM) and Liezel Huber (USA) [1] 1 vs Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams (USA) [4] 172. Tracy Austin (USA) and Kathy Rinaldi-Stunkel (USA) 17 vs Martina Navratilova (USA) and Helena Sukova (CZE) 20SL3. Leander Paes (IND) and Cara Black (ZIM) [1] 1 vs Stephen Huss (AUS) and Virginia RuanoPascual (ESP) [12] 254. Mansour…
USTA To Promote Quickstart Tennis at Essence Music Festival

Global Village Tennis News

2 Jul 2009 | 12:26 pm

USTA TO PROMOTE TENNIS THROUGH THE QUICKSTART TENNIS PLaY FORMAT AT THE 2009 ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL Lifetime Television Show “Army Wives” Actress Wendy Davis to Sign Autographs at USTA Booth at the New Orleans Memorial Convention Center Event is Part of USTA’s Efforts to Expand Diversity Initiatives WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 2, 2009 – The USTA announced today that as an outreach effort to promote tennis in diverse markets, it will feature a booth at this year’s Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, La., July 3-5, at the New Orleans Memorial Convention Center. As…
Federer on Verge of Breaking Lendl Record

Global Village Tennis News

2 Jul 2009 | 12:25 pm

FEDERER ON VERGE OF BREAKING LENDL TENNIS RECORDNEW YORK, July 2, 2009 - Roger Federer is two match wins away from breaking Pete Samprass mens record of 14 major singles titles, but is only one win away from another important tennis milestone.As documented by tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins in his book THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS, Federer, with a win over Tommy Haas in Fridays Wimbledon semifinals, will reach his 20th major singles final, breaking Ivan Lendls mens record of 19.Federer has reached six Wimbledon finals (Champion 2003-2007, Finalist 2008), five U.S.
Wimbledon Order of Play for Friday 3 July 2009 - Singles Only

Global Village Tennis News

2 Jul 2009 | 9:45 am

The Championships 2009 Intended Order of Play for Friday 3 July 2009 CENTRE COURT SINGLES ONLY CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START 1. Tommy Haas (GER) [24] 73 vs Roger Federer (SUI) [2] 128 2. Andy Roddick (USA) [6] 32 vs Andy Murray (GBR) [3] 33 The Committee, while adhering as closely as possible to the order of play given, is unable to guarantee that it will be maintained in its entirety. This may result in matches being moved from one court to another. Andrew Jarrett - Referee
Venus Williams Destroys Dinara Safina 6-1, 6- 0 to Advance to Wimbledon Final

Global Village Tennis News

2 Jul 2009 | 9:15 am

GettyTotal domination by Venus Williams as she has just beaten Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 to advance to the Wimbledon ladies final where she will face her sister Serena. This match was in total contrast to the gritty, gut-wrenching thriller produced by her sister Serena's win over Dementieva. Key stat of the match - Venus made one one unforced error in the entire match. Total destruction.

Crazy World of Tennis
Simone Bolelli shirtless pics

hectopascal

19 Jun 2009 | 6:52 pm

Just came across these shirtless pics of Simone Bolelli from back in Indian Wells earlier this year. Bolelli is currently ranked 62 on the ATP world tour.So he's into tattoos...... hmm... still hot though...More shirtless Bolelli pics below! Ahhh two of the hottest ATP players posing together :P
Photos: Federer crying at French Open 2009 final

hectopascal

7 Jun 2009 | 8:53 am

Roger Federer is an emotional bloke. And winner of the 2009 Roland Garros grand slam.This time it's tears of joy.More pics after read more.
Federer the GOAT

hectopascal

7 Jun 2009 | 8:10 am

14 slams, including slams on all surfaces. He may be arrogant, he may be a pussy, but he's also the GOAT! Roland Garros is no longer his elusive slam. The only thing left to do is turn around his h2h against Nadal (but let's not get picky).Ok now back to studying.I won't be posting on this blog for the next 6 weeks. Thanks for reading!
Sexlana works her charm, gives linesman a boner

hectopascal

3 Jun 2009 | 8:18 am

It was set to be a repeat of the Aussie Open QF, but Kuznetsova managed to regroup after her mid-match choke to beat Serena 7-6, 5-7, 7-5 in the QF of the 2009 French Open. There was choking going on from both sides, but it was a great match nonetheless. Sh1tlana no more!Sexy Sveta managed to show her ass to a ball boy and *seemingly* give the hot line judge a boner during the match. Meanwhile,
Victoria Azarenka: star of the near future

hectopascal

2 Jun 2009 | 7:08 pm

Guest post by Phillip:Victoria Azarenka, star of the near futureThe 2009 French Open has thrown up many surprises, but the breakthrough of Victoria Azarenka should not be considered one of them. The Belarusian reached her first Grand Slam quarter final in 14 attempts and came close to knocking out in-form world number one Dinara Safina.Safina eventually won a three-set encounter, but not before

Great Tennis Photos
Video: Pre-Wimbledon Party - The Royal Treatment

2 Jul 2009 | 7:07 am

The Pre-Wimbledon Party was graced with the presence of British royalty, along with many celebrities.
Video: Pre-Wimbledon Party - Living It Up

2 Jul 2009 | 7:06 am

Come inside the Kensington Roof Gardens to soak up the atmosphere of the Pre-Wimbledon Party.
Video: Pre-Wimbledon Party - Time to Party

2 Jul 2009 | 6:52 am

Stars of the tennis and entertainment worlds gathered in London for the annual Pre-Wimbledon Party.
Vide: Hero Chronicles - The Future of Heroes

2 Jul 2009 | 6:42 am

Tour heroes prepare for the ultimate challenge.
Vide: Hero Chronicles - Being a Hero II

2 Jul 2009 | 6:37 am

We explore the origins of our Tour Heroes and uncover their superpowers.

Tennis Guru
Wimbledon 2009 Semifinals: Andy Murray vs. Andy Roddick [July 3]

Tennis Guru

2 Jul 2009 | 6:42 am

To watch the highly anticipated semifinal match between world number three Andy Murray and American sixth seed Andy Roddick online, live and free on July 3, 2009 (Friday) click HERE. — World number three Andy Murray of Britain and American sixth seed Andy Roddick only met once in grass and that was three years ago in Wimbledon where the British won in straight sets. Overall, they’ve battled eight times with Murray holding the lead 6-2 in head-to-head match record. Despite Murray’s impressive record against Roddick on paper, the American has reached the grasscourt Slam final…
Wimbledon 2009 Semifinals: Roger Federer vs. Tommy Haas [July 3]

Tennis Guru

2 Jul 2009 | 6:34 am

To watch the highly anticipated semifinal match between world number two Roger Federer and German Tommy Haas online, live and free on July 3, 2009 (Friday) click HERE. — German Tommy Haas is currently enjoying a winning streak on grass, having won the Halle tournament earlier this month and making way to the final four in Wimbledon. He also gave world number two Roger Federer a hard time at Roland Garros, with their quarterfinal match going as far as the fifth set with the Swiss player prevailing and eventually winning the title. However, everyone knows that Federer excels the best in…
Wimbledon 2009 Men’s Semifinals Schedule: Day 11 (July 3) matches

Tennis Guru

1 Jul 2009 | 7:28 pm

Here are the semifinal round matches you should not miss in the eleventh day (July 3, 2009) of competitions in this year’s Wimbledon: Men’s Singles Roger Federer (SUI)[2] vs. Tommy Haas (GER)[24] Andy Murray (GBR)[3] vs. Andy Roddick (USA)[6] For the complete Day 11 Schedule, access this LINK. To watch Wimbledon 2009 live online for FREE, click HERE.
Wimbledon 2009: Roger Federer Interview transcript (July 1)

Tennis Guru

1 Jul 2009 | 7:18 pm

For free, live Wimbledon 2009 online video coverage, click HERE. Roger Federer interview transcript, Wimbledon 2009 on July 1, 2009 following his quarterfinal victory over 22nd seed Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-3, 7-5, 7-6. The world number two is slated to meet 24th seed Tommy Haas of Germany in the semifinals. Q. Are you sick of look at that guy’s serves? ROGER FEDERER: I don’t play him every week, so it’s okay. Otherwise, if all the guys would be serving like that, that would be tough. Q. Is he the most boring player to play against? It’s serving and walking from right…
Wimbledon 2009: Andy Murray Interview transcript (July 1)

Tennis Guru

1 Jul 2009 | 7:12 pm

For free, live Wimbledon 2009 online video coverage, click HERE. Andy Murray interview transcript, Wimbledon 2009 on July 1, 2009 following his quarterfinal victory over wildcard Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 7-5, 6-3, 6-2. The British world number three is slated to meet world number six Andy Roddick of United States in the semifinals. Q. What was your verdict on that performance? ANDY MURRAY: I thought the second and third sets were very good. The first set I served very well, but made quite a lot of mistakes from the back. Hit the ball pretty short. Yeah, obviously very happy to win in…

ATP Men's Tennis
Watch Wimbledon Online Live ATP/WTA Tennis Online Free Video Streaming

2 Jul 2009 | 4:44 am

Watch Wimbledon Online Live ATP/WTA Tennis Online Free Video StreamingThursday 7/208:00am ET to 15:00 ET Wimbledon Women's SemifinalsLink 1 Link 2 Link 3
Wimbledon 2009: Andy Murray Interview- 01 July 2009

2 Jul 2009 | 3:50 am

Wimbledon 2009: Andy Murray Interview- 01 July 2009Q. What was your verdict on that performance?ANDY MURRAY: I thought the second and third sets were very good. The first set I served very well, but made quite a lot of mistakes from the back. Hit the ball pretty short.Yeah, obviously very happy to win in straight sets because, you know, the first set was tough. But I settled down after that.Q. Physically you were happy?ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I felt fine. I slipped once on the court, but apart from that I was not stiff at all from the match before. You know, the court today was playing very quick,…
Wimbledon 2009: NovakDjokovic Interview- 01 July 2009

2 Jul 2009 | 3:48 am

Wimbledon 2009: NovakDjokovic Interview- 01 July 2009Q. How would you assess your performance today?NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Well, obviously disappointed that I didn't win. I think I've played okay throughout the tournament, and unfortunately I haven't performed that well today.I was solid on my service games, but then when I needed to step it up in the important games, I was too nervous in these moments. He took his chances and he played better. Got to give him credit for that.But I think he was serving really well. And I knew that the key is gonna be my return if I'm going to be able to make him…
Wimbledon 2009: Lleyton Hewitt Interview- 01 July 2009

2 Jul 2009 | 3:47 am

Wimbledon 2009: Lleyton Hewitt Interview- 01 July 2009Q. Hard to combat that service game of Andy's?LLEYTON HEWITT: Yeah. You know you're going to get aced a lot. I knew that going into the match. Yeah, you're gonna get some breakpoints and you're going to see them go pretty quickly as well.It was a matter of trying to hang in there as much as possible and make him play that extra shot. I was nearly able to do it.Q. You were clutching your leg at times. How big a factor was that?LLEYTON HEWITT: I was a little bit sore stretching out, on my serve as well. That was probably the biggest issue.
Wimbledon 2009: Tommy Haas Interview- 01 July 2009

2 Jul 2009 | 3:44 am

Wimbledon 2009: Tommy Haas Interview- 01 July 2009Q. Are you surprised what happened, or after what happened in Queen's you were pretty confident you could repeat?TOMMY HAAS: I didn't play in Queen's. In Halle. No problem, I understand.Well, having played him in Halle and having beaten him there obviously gave me confidence for today. He is obviously ranked No. 4 in the world for a reason. So, you know, knew that I have to take my chances if I'm going to get them today and play very solid.I think once again today I served extremely well and didn't really give him much of a rhythm. He never…

WTA Women's Tennis
Wimbledon Semifinal: Venus Williams Interview- 02 July 2009

WTA Womens Tennis

2 Jul 2009 | 2:08 pm

Wimbledon Semifinal: Venus Williams Interview- 02 July 2009 Q. Was that one of your easiest passages through to a final? VENUS WILLIAMS: Yes, it was very successful for me. I was really pleased with my form. Of course, playing against the No. 1 player in the world, it’s exciting to play so well. So, I mean, obviously I had to work hard for it, but I was able to do a lot of the right things today. Q. Was it near perfect? VENUS WILLIAMS: You know what, uhm, I don’t know if there’s such a thing as perfect for an athlete, but I felt happy with it. And I felt like my performance…
Wimbledon Semifinal: Dinara Safina Interview- 02 July 2009

WTA Womens Tennis

2 Jul 2009 | 2:03 pm

Wimbledon Semifinal: Dinara Safina Interview- 02 July 2009 Q. Can you put into words how disappointed you feel. DINARA SAFINA: Well, not really happy with end result, you know. I think she just too good on grass. It’s not my favorite surface and it’s her favorite surface, so she just honestly be too good today. Q. That must have been a nightmare result for you, though. DINARA SAFINA: Oh, it’s definitely disappointing, you know, finishing the match less than one hour and winning only one game. Well, I have to accept. Still, I mean, this is I would say not ‑‑ out of three…
Wimbledon Smeifinal: Venus Williams destroyes Dinara Safina to reach Wimbledon’s Final

WTA Womens Tennis

2 Jul 2009 | 9:43 am

Wimbledon Smeifinal: Venus Williams destroyes Dinara Safina to reach Wimbledon’s Final Venus Williams will play her sister Serena in Saturday’s Wimbledon final after a crushing 6-1 6-0 victory Dinara Safina. Venus’s place in an eighth final, and fourth against her sister, was never in doubt as the Russian failed to come to terms with Williams’s powerful hitting from the back of the court in a match which lasted just 51 minutes. “This is my eighth final and a dream come true to be here again and have the opportunity to hold the plate up,” the five-time champion said in a…
Wimbledon Semifinals: Elena Dementieva Interview- 02 July 2009

WTA Womens Tennis

2 Jul 2009 | 9:27 am

Wimbledon Semifinals: Elena Dementieva Interview- 02 July 2009 Q. Is it a match you thought on merit you should have won? ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Well, I think it was a very close match, and I think we both were playing very well today. It was a good fight. Actually, I feel very satisfied the way I was playing today. The only regret I have, maybe I should take a little bit more risk on match point, should go down the line. But overall it was a good match. Q. Do you think this is the best match ever you have played on grass? ELENA DEMENTIEVA: Yeah, definitely, I think that was the best match on…
Wimbledon Semifinals: Serena Williams beats Elena Dementieva to reach Wimbledon final

WTA Womens Tennis

2 Jul 2009 | 8:28 am

Wimbledon Semifinals: Serena Williams beats Elena Dementieva to reach Wimbledon final Serena Williams has rallied to beat Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 and reach the Wimbledon final for the second year in a row. Williams saved a match point with a backhand volley while trailing 5-4 in the third set. Williams dominated on her serve in the first set after being broken in the first game of the match, but she couldn’t hang on in the tiebreaker. In the second, Williams went up a break early but allowed Dementieva back into the match before breaking again. “Elena played so well and we gave…

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