Tennis News

MASON - Nothing stopped third-seed Maria Kirilenko from winning Monday in the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open - not even loose strings on her racket.

The 2008 Olympics will open in eight days, and three Rhode Island natives will watch closely from vastly different perspectives.

Carlos Moya of Spain and Argentines Juan Ignacio Chela and Juan Monaco are among the first players to withdraw from Wimbledon with injuries.

Novak Djokovic was always second-best when he faced Ernests Gulbis during childhood practice sessions, but he’s the one with a Grand Slam title while his old friend struggled to make a breakthrough.

Japanese star Akiko Morigami has apologized and denied match-fixing after suggesting she and doubles partner Aiko Nakamura were asked to deliberately lose at the French Open.

Japanese star Akiko Morigami has apologized and denied match-fixing after suggesting she and doubles partner Aiko Nakamura were asked to deliberately lose at the French Open.

Bob Bryan is six-foot-four, and his twin brother Mike is listed by the ATP as an inch shorter, making for an imposing duo up at the net.

TOKYO: Japan’s Akiko Morigami accused a national team coach of asking her to throw a doubles match at the French Open, local media reported on Saturday.

While Maria Sharapova led a stampede of Russian women into the last 16 of the French Open on Saturday, their hopes of a men’s champion vanished when Nikolay Davydenko fell victim to a stunning Ivan Ljubicic …

Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan returns the ball to Japan’s Akiko Morigami and Aiko Nakamura during her French Open first round doubles match with partner Chuang Chia-jung at Roland Garros in Paris yesterday.

Olga Govortsova of Belarus beat Ipek Senoglu 6-3, 6-2 Monday in the first round of the Istanbul Cup. via CBS SportsLine

“I am sorry Rezai did not finish the match, but it was a great fight”
One of women tennis’ top 10 ranked players, Russia’s Elena Dementieva is back to defend her title at the WTA Istanbul Cup. via Turkish Daily News

“I know Morita, because she played against France last year”
Tennis players Ayumi Morita, Ai Sugiyama, Amelie Mauresmo and Nathalie Dechy. Japanese teenager Morita will play Mauresmo of France Up-and-coming Japanese teenager Ayumi Morita will face off Saturday against … via TurkishPress.com

“Anil is keen to play and we hope in about 4-5 days he should be able to play. The physio at the National Cricket Academy - Paul Close - and the franchise physio are both in discussion and we’ll take a decision on that.”
Thursday, April 17, 2008 No Replacement For Shoaib MUMBAI: The Kolkata […]

“The pair of Sugiyama and Morita is the best choice. All the four players can play the singles. We still have time. I’m going to choose the singles players at the last moment”
Former world doubles number one Ai Sugiyama will lead Japan’s bid for Fed Cup victory against France, as the teams vie for […]

Ai Sugiyama has been named to Japan’s Fed Cup team for the upcoming World Group playoff against France as the Japanese No. via Kyodo News

“I hung in and kept the ball in play”
Sunitha Rao loses in the final qualifying round - Photo: K. Gopinathan HITTING BACK: Sybille Bammer overcame a first set loss to beat Akiko Morigami. via The Hindu

“I have been training hard after my second round loss in the Australian Open. I am aiming to be in the final and then see what happens”
Agencies BANGALORE, March. 2: Shikha Uberoi has to overcome a tough first round challenge while another wild card, Indian Isha Lakhani will have a comparatively easier match even […]

Jelena Jankovic practises for the Bangalore Open on Monday. The top seed got a bye in the first round. via The Telegraph

“Right now my focus is on the next match.”
Sixth seed Sybille Bammer of Austria toiled for over two hours to defeat unseeded Japanese girl Akiko Morigami 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 in the opening round of the $600,000 Bangalore Open that started here at the … via New Delhi News.Net

“Akiko is a good player and she gave me a tough contest”
BANGALORE, India : Sixth-seeded Sybille Bammer of Austria was stretched to three sets by Japan’s Akiko Morigami in the opening round of the US$600,000 WTA Tour’s Bangalore Open here Monday. via International Herald Tribune

Akiko Morigami, a last-minute substitute for Maria Sharapova, collected a first-round win Tuesday at the $1.5 million Dubai Tennis Championships. via ArcaMax Publishing

“It’s like practice for if a match is going to be closer and I call him and don’t know what to expect. I mean, I know him very well but it’s good practice before tough matches.”
Jelena Jankovic was stretched to the limit before edging past India’s Sania Mirza to reach the quarter-finals of the […]

“They were making a sudden noise during the rallies, which was disturbing, and I asked them to wait until the end of the rallies to do it”
Agence France-Presse DUBAI - World number four Jelena Jankovic spent almost the whole of a two-hour, 14-minute match trailing before narrowly surviving against Sania Mirza in the second […]

Top-ranked Justine Henin was stretched to the limit by Katarina Srebotnik, before beating the Slovenian qualifier 7-5, 6-7 , 6-3 to reach the Dubai Championships quarterfinals on Wednesday. via Asbury Park Press

“I have been coughing a lot and feeling tired, but I somehow played through there”
MARIA Sharapova pulled out of the Dubai Championships with a viral infection. The fifth-ranked Sharapova said on Tuesday she has been battling a virus for several days and that it has ‘reached a point where I’m … via The Straits […]

“I was really excited to come to Dubai this week and was very much looking forward to playing the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships”
Maria Sharapova, who flew into Dubai earlier this week direct from a victory in Doha, has announced her withdrawal from the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships due to a viral illness. via Tennis […]

“I have been made to feel welcome by everybody I have come across so far.”
Federer, Henin win Laureus Awards ST. PETERSBURG, Russia Roger Federer won the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year award for a fourth consecutive time Monday, and Justine Henin won the women’s award for the … via StarNewsOnline.com

“I find the people are really nice here, and everything is normal. It’s even nicer than some other tournaments”
Amelie Mauresmo emerged from a potentially difficult first round match at the Qatar Open with a 7-6 6-3 win over Germany’s Sabine Lisicki. via ABS-CBN News

“Also, officials in Israel said there is no problem to play in Qatar. I have been provided proper security by the organizers, so I feel fine being here.”
Peer becomes first Israeli to play in Gulf region DOHA, Qatar - Shahar Peer became the first Israeli to compete in a WTA Tour event in the […]