In a press conference Monday afternoon, world number seven Maria Sharapova told reporters that she was notified by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in a letter a couple of days ago that she had failed a drug test during the Australian Open. Sharapova said the failed test came as a result of her taking Meldonium,…
When my longtime client and friend Ivan Lendl called me to tell me that Pete Sampras wanted to play Roger Federer back in 2007, we laughed and said it would never happen. But I said to him if it is going to happen, it should happen at Madison Square Garden. There hadn't been tennis at…
The ATP World Tour was off this past week as the men prepared for their respective Davis Cup matches this weekend, but the WTA saw two thrilling tournaments take place. Great Britain’s Heather Watson came back from a set down to win the Abierto Monterrey Afirme title in Monterrey, Mexico, while Ukrainian Elina Svitolina held…
Serena Williams, a 21-time Grand Slam champion, will take on close friend and former world number one Caroline Wozniacki, and two-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka will square off with France’s Gael Monfils in the 9th Annual BNP Paribas Showdown at Madison Square Garden, set for Tuesday, March 8. The ninth edition of the BNP…
The world of tennis has lost one of its pillars, as legendary writer and broadcaster Arthur Worth “Bud” Collins passed away on Friday at his Massachusetts home. He was 86. Collins began as a tennis writer for the Boston Globe and several other Boston-area newspapers in the early 1960’s and quickly became one the sport’s most…
Two-time champion Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from next week’s BNP Paribas Open due to a left forearm injury that has limited her to just three tournaments since last year’s Wimbledon. In a statement, Sharapova said: “I am extremely disappointed that I am unable to compete in this year’s BNP Paribas Open,” she said. “I have…
Despite announcing he would retire following the Australian Open, Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt’s career is not over just yet. The 35-year old Adelaide native and captain of the Australian Davis Cup team announced he will be replacing Nick Kyrgios in Australia’s World Group First Round against the United States this weekend. “We took him through his…
Americans Christina McHale and Nicole Gibbs set up an all-American second-round matchup at the Abierto Monterrey Afirme as both picked up victories in their Monterrey openers on Tuesday. McHale took out Mexico’s Victoria Rodriguez 6-0, 6-4, needing less than an hour to do so. McHale won 83 percent of all points in the opening set,…
The BNP Paribas Open is set to begin next week, and for the first time in 15 years, American Venus Williams will be playing the Indian Wells tournament. Venus has not played Indian Wells since 2001, when people accused her and her sister of faking an injury and intentionally withdrawing from her semifinal match against…
The USTA and the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center gave the media an update and a tour on the progress of the complex’s construction, and ensured that the roof over Arthur Ashe will be completed as well as the new 8,000 seat Grandstand. During Monday’s walk-through, the USTA’s Chief Operating Officer Gordon Smith discussed…