Australia’s Sam Stosur, the 2011 U.S. Open champion, lost to Italy’s Francesca Schiavone, 6-2, 6-4, in the first round of the Sydney International Tournament. Schiavone has also defeated Stosur at the 2010 French Open final and had little to no trouble once again defeating her early on in this tournament. Stosur has only won one…
Great Britain’s Andy Murray has won his first title under new coach Ivan Lendl leading up to the Australian Open. Murray defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov in the Brisbane International final with a commanding 6-1, 6-3 win. "I’d like to thank my team … Mr. Lendl, he’s up there somewhere, hiding. It’s my first week with this…
Australian Open champion Kim Clijsters became the second top contender for the year’s first major to suffer an injury setback when she retired on Friday from her Brisbane International semifinal match against Daniela Hantuchova. Clijsters took the opening set 7-6(4), but surrendered a break at the start of the second set and needed treatment after…
Here’s what some of your favorite tennis stars had to say this New Years via Twitter … â–º@CaroWozniacki: Happy New Year from @McIlroyRory and me in Thailand:) â–º@shaharpeer: Happy New Year everybody!!! I wish all a great 2012! I’m sure u will all celebrate big time â–º@arodionova: HAPPY NEW 2012 YEAR!!!!! â–º@DjokerNole: L’Shannah Tovah 🙂 â–º@MardyFish: 2012 promise… Much more…
Roger Federer had reached the semifinals of the Qatar Open, after his winning streak was extended to 20 straight matches. He defeated Andreas Seppi of Italy in three sets, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4. He would have gone up against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, however, he has withdrawn from the tournament citing a back injury. Tsonga is now sixth-ranked…
World number two-ranked Rafael Nadal defeated Mikhail Youzhny, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open on Thursday to reach the semifinals for the third straight year in Doha. Nadal won 75 percent of his first serve points, and was proficient at the net, taking eight of nine points when he came forward…
Kim Clijsters has advanced to the semifinals of the Brisbane International after a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Iveta Benesova. Clijsters had won the title in 2010 and missed the 2011 tournament. She is now 8-0 overall for the tournaments leading up to the Australian Open. “I’m very satisfied with the way that I played,” Clijsters…
Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer of Switzerland both advanced into the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open on Wednesday. Nadal was victorious over German qualifier Denis Gremelmayr, 6-2, 6-2, and Federer had an easy time with Slovenia qualifier, Grega Zemlja, 6-2, 6-3, in his win. Also advancing was France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, a 7-6 (8), 6-3 winner over Italy’s Flavio…
In opening round action at the 2012 Brisbane International, the final tuneup before the first Grand Slam of 2012, the Australian Open, American Serena Williams twisted her ankle in a match against Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski. After medical treatment on the court, Serena played through the pain and was an eventual 6-2, 6-4 winner over Jovanovski to advance to the…
Great Britain’s Andy Murray has hired a new coach in hopes of finally winning a major title, eight-time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl. Murray will now start work with Lendl in preparation for the Australian Open, which commences on Jan. 16. Murray spent last season ranked in the top four, but still ended without a…