Dinara Safina must be ruing the day her brother talked compatriot Svetlana Kuznetsova out of quitting tennis. Newly crowed queen of Roland Garros Kuznetsova has revealed how Marat Safin, brother of beaten finalist Safina, talked her out of quitting tennis after she became disillusioned with the sport. Former women’s number one Safin helped talk Kuznetsova […]
After another flat and forgettable French Open final, the sport of women’s tennis needs a boost on the lawns of suburban London. But just in case you think that a summer revival shouldn’t be expected at the 2009 Wimbledon Championships, the history of this most prestigious tournament suggests otherwise. Time stands still at Wimbledon, the […]
Five years ago, Svetlana Kuznetsova had nothing to lose when she captured her first and only Grand Slam title. Today, the woman who has been hounded by frail nerves and stage-fright fiascoes finally grew up as a tennis player. Kuznetsova-one of the most talented yet unimposing performers on the WTA Tour-registered what should be viewed […]
Less than three years ago, the career arc of Jelena Jankovic appeared to be headed for the highest heavens. After a miserable Monday in Paris, a struggling Serbian finds herself at a crossroads, her plans for Roland Garros reduced to rubble. Jankovic, the No. 5 seed at the French Open, lost her women’s singles fourth-round […]
The draw for the 2009 French Open will be announced in Paris. Let’s review the players.
If tennis fans wanted explosive action on day four of the Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open, they were sorely disappointed. Two retirements on the men’s side deprived spectators (and TV viewers) of compelling combat, while the women-with their tournament bracket thrown upside-down by a spate of upsets-provided just one eyebrow-raising result in the round of 16. […]
No champion tennis player ever wants to lose a match, but if a man of Roger Federer’s stature could ever accept defeat between the painted lines, he would want to bow out of a non-Grand Slam tournament against a close friend and countryman. On Thursday, that very scenario unfolded at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters, […]
The spring portion of the 2009 hardcourt season is over, as the tennis world now shifts to the clay of Europe. Before turning our attention to the red dirt of Monte Carlo, Rome, Madrid, and Paris, it’s worth taking a final look at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. The two singles finals in South […]
The last time Andy Murray stared across the net at Fernando Verdasco, dreams of a first Grand Slam title melted away in the Australian Open heat. Just over two months later, a quietly determined Scotsman ensured that a frustrating loss wouldn’t happen again. Murray-victimized by Verdasco in the fourth round at the year’s first major […]
Andy Roddick played one of his better matches against Roger Federer Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the Sony Ericsson Open. All the No. 5 American received for his considerable improvements, however, was yet another loss to his Swiss nemesis. Federer, aided by a fortuitous net-cord winner on the penultimate point of the match, closed […]
