Serena is a Glamour Girl

Gossip Girl:
Spotted:
Serena Williams and Tyra Banks at the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in New York, which were held in the Carnegie Hall.


Serena went back home with an award in her pocket along with stars like - Rihanna, Stella McCartney and Michelle Obama. It's a good company for the REAL world No.1 like Serena :P

~jachal

Bepa will undergo surgery

Vera Zvonareva will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue on her right ankle, her agent says. She is expected to return in time for the beginning of next season.


Zvonareva, who badly hurt her ankle during her 3rd round encounter in Charleston against Virginie Razzano, couldn't find her amazing form since the incident. She reached several big finals at the end of last year (including the Season Ending Championships), continuing her great form into this year. At the Australian Open, she reached the semis (which she never done before) and then went on to win two titles - the Premier Mandatory Indian Wells and Pattaya.



Coming into Charelston as the top seed and the season's second player (Race Standings) she was a strong favourite to win the title. The Russian came back at Wimbledon. After struggling to win matches, ahe reached the third round, where she had to pull out - ironically - once again against Virginie Razzano. The rest of the season was shettered by the not fully healed ankle, which caused more struggles on court.

Let's keep our fingers crossed, Bepa will comeback strong in 2010!!!

~jachal

Sharapova and her boyfriend

Some paparazzi took a picture of Maria Sharapova holding hand with Sasha Vujacic. It seems like Maria is finally in a real relationship. Vujacic plays in NBA in Los Angeles Lakers. The two are dating for a couple of weeks.

~shaw

Polish girls on holidays

Agnieszka Radwanska, Urszula Radwanska, Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber went for holidays to Mauritius. Agnieszka, who is recovering after operation of finger seems to enjoy her free time. Caroline enjoyed herself so much that she even took off her bra to sunbath without stripes from the swim suit...

~shaw

I want your money back!

Marat Safin, who is still alive in Paris Masters 1000 after saving 3 match points in his first round victory over Thierry Ascione, criticised Andre Agassi. Playing his last tournament of his career, Marat insisted that Agassi should give money back to ATP...


"OK, so he feels guilty? Then he should give back his titles, his money and his Grand Slams. If he's about fair play, he should go all the way. You know, the ATP have a bank account, he can pay them back if he wants to." said Safin.

"I guess I have to retire and then after a few years I'll write an autobiography with some confessions." he joked.

~shaw

The sufferings of a Grand Slam champion

"I imagined in perfect detail that a Grand Slam victory would require a lot physicially and mentally, but I was not prepared for the aftermath... I hardly saw my mother and my sister. Only in the plane to Tokyo could I rest a bit."

- Juan Martin Del Potro on how difficult it is to recover mentally after a Grand Slam win. Delpo, you drama queen - just imagine how Steffi Graf must have felt, when she picked the winners trophy 22 times...

~jachal

Oudin explains why she sucked at Fed Cup

"I wanted to come here. I wanted to play for my country. Other people choose different things. Some people I guess didn't want to play as badly as I did.But I think that the team that we had here really wanted to be here. You don't want people here that don't want to be here. Even if you lose, if you give it everything you have, then that's the best you can do."

- Melanie Oudin on the privilege of playing Fed Cup. If you read between the lines, you can easily sense she's criticizing the Williams sisters' attitude towards the Fed Cup.

~jachal

Wickmayer & Malisse banned for 1 year

US Open tennis semi-finalist Yanina Wickmayer and her Belgian compatriot Xavier Malisse were handed one-year bans for falling foul of doping regulations, the Belga news agency reported.


Wickmayer, the world No.18, was suspended by the Flemish Doping Tribunal (VDT) for failing to fulfill the controversial "whereabouts rule" while Malisse was also punished for missing a drugs test.

Both players can appeal their suspensions to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The suspension was announced despite 20-year-old Wickmayer currently playing in the Tournament of Champions event in Bali where on Friday she would be attempting to reach the semi-finals.

Wickmayer was accused of failing on three occasions to fulfill the ADAMS (Anti-Doping Administration and Management System) under which athletes are obliged to tell national anti-doping authorities where they will be at a chosen hour each day for a three-month period.
The sanctions came as a surprise - only last month, it was expected that the two players would escape with just a reprimand.

Malisse, 29, is currently 95 in the world, having been at 19 in 2002. He has won three titles in his career.

~AFP

Haas with swine flu

Tommy Haas admitted he has contracted swine flu, which has forced him to withdraw from this week's Davidoff Indoors in Basel. The German is hoping to be back in action next week at the tournament in Paris.

The world No 17 dropped out of the Stockholm Open last week after he felt he was suffering from flu. However, the German had tests and it was confirmed that he had contracted the H1N1 virus.

"I did a test because I suspected I had swine flu and the test was positive," he said. "It was obviously a shock for me. I was really bad for three days and I couldn't leave my hotel room. I felt really bad." - Haas explains.

"I am quite relaxed because I know that swine flu is a particularly strong form of flu but when you are in a good physical condition like I am, then you can quickly beat it."

~jachal

Andre, what did you do?

Roger Federer: "It was a shock when I heard the news. I am disappointed and I hope there are no more such cases in future... He has done a lot for tennis, both as a player and as a human being. Today, he raises millions of dollars for his foundation for children."

Rafael Nadal: "If the ATP covered for Agassi then I think that's terrible... The only thing I can say is that if they covered at that moment for the player and punished others for doing the same kind of thing then that would seem to me to be a lack of respect for all sportsmen... Now that he is retired [he] comes out and says this -- it's a senseless way of damaging the sport."

Andy Roddick: "Andre is and always will be my idol. i will judge him on how he's treated me, and how he has changed the world for better... if anything we [top players] are subjected to way more testing and attention.. thats just a fact.. and to be fair when andre wrote the reported letter, he was well outside the top 100 and widely viewed as on the way out."

~shaw

Dancing queens: Radwanska sisters

Just look how this two can enjoy themselves. They look so happy.

~shaw

Feli, it's all about your outlook

"I was losing so much that I just had to do something about it. I didn't know what else, so I cut my hair. All of a sudden I started to win, so I don't want to change a thing now."

- Feliciano Lopez on the reason why he suddenly started playing well.

~shaw

Not so fast! Santoro wants to play more!

Fabrice Santoro, who will turn 37 in December, admitted in a press conference in Lyon that he is considering playing Australian Open 2010. Season 2009 was supossed to be the last one for Fabrice.

"Since a Canadian reporter told me I would be the first to achieve such a feat, I keep on saying to myself that it would be nice, it would be an unusual record." he said in Lyon.

"But if I want to be able to play five-set matches in Melbourne, I must not go skiing in December. I won't make that decision thoughtlessly."

Well, we love you so much Fabrice, that we would be thrilled to see you in Melbourne.

~shaw

WTA stars gather in Doha

We've got some great pics for you from the draw ceremony in Doha that took place yestarday. Sony Ericsson WTA Championship begins tomorrow.

~shaw

Djokovic full of respect

"When I get frustrated I throw my racket. Then I look at Todd and I'm kind of scared about what his reaction might be, what he's going to say."

- Novak Djokovic on his attitude to his new coach Todd Martin.

~shaw

Please Roger, don't play!

Roger Federer was sent more than 500 letters asking him not to participate in his hometown event in Basel. The tournament is sponsored by tobacco brand Davidoff.

Controversy over Basel's sponsorship has arisen in past years as well. Switzerland still allows tobacco signage at sporting events while the EU has banned such advertising.

~shaw

Baghdatis shows good form and positive mood

"When you wake up in the morning and you don't feel any pain, it's easier to play good tennis. I'm having a good run now and enjoying myself on the court. I'm hungry to do well and I want to come back stronger than before."


We think that you already managed to comeback Marcos, considering the fact that few months ago you were about 150 and now you are 41 in the ATP ranking. We are more than happy for you.

~shaw

Sampras beats Agassi in Macau exhibition

Pete Sampras defeated Andre Agassi at an exhibition match in Macau 3-6 6-3 10-8. This was the first time that Sampras and Agassi played each other in seven years.

"Andre just hits the ball so cleanly even after being retired for three years. The pace of his shots is just very heavy. Today he was serving great, I think he even out-aced me. It was a pleasure playing him, he is a great player with a great return of serve" said Sampras.

"Thanks for the exercise" Agassi responded to Sampras after the match.

~shaw

Wozniacki & Betfair - a couple?

Did the good girl gone bad? Caroline Wozniacki's good name may suffer a little in the next few days, as the Dane is linked to a betting scandal. The World No.5 has decided to retire in the most peculiar time in a match - while leading Anne Kremer 7/5 5/0. But it wasn't only the retirement, that made the people want to have a look at this match again. Piotr Wozniacki, the father and coach of Caroline, told her to stop the match after two games no matter what the score, would be.


Wozniacki, playing the 25th event of the year (most of all the top 10 players), recieved a treatment for a hamstring strain during a match. Though limping in between the points, she was moving pretty good, while playing.

"I could possibly have finished the match, but felt there was no way I could get ready for the second round on Thursday, so I chose the sporting way and let her go through. She's also [playing] at home," - Wozniacki told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet.

Anne Kremer, who got into the main draw, as a lucky loser after Melanie Oudin withdrew with a gastro-intestinal illness, could once again speak of big luck, as she now will face Katarina Srebotnik for a place in the quarterfinals. But was it really luck, or maybe a planned move from the Wozniacki family. There have been voices raised, that the match was being fixed.


Piotr Wozniacki, who during a changeover told Caroline to stop playing was surprised, by the whole situation.

"I said to her, 'Caroline, whether it is 5-0, 4-1 or 3-2 at the next change of ends, you have to decide if you will be able to play the next match. Then make the right decision. I have spoken to the tournament director, who spoke to the WTA, who was also at the match. They all said Caroline showed a lot of sportsmanship." - he explained to Ekstra Bladet.

About $2.5 million was wagered on Wozniacki on Betfair, according to Danish reports. Accounts also indicated that Piotr's conversation with Caroline was quickly posted online and may have prompted some to put money on Kremer towards the end of the match.

The match will be reviewed by the WTA.

~jachal

Whirlpool cakes

It seems like Whirlpool is not about cooking. Neither are the WTA Players - Agnieszka Radwańska and Elena Vesnina...


Funny how the better player on court (Radwańska that is) is also the better cook... Elena, as much as we love you - please, don't try being creative!

~jachal

Kolya on fire & in love

Nikolay Davydenko proved once again to his doubters, that he ain't over til it's over. He won the Masters Series event in Shanghai, by beating Novak Djokovic in teh semis and Rafael Nadal in the final. And while he achieved one of his greatest succeses on Tour, he won also a few hearts...


Especially the one of his wife :)

~jachal

Stalking Roddick winning bets, not matches

World No.6 Andy Roddick proved he's a champion after he won $150 bet with Virgin heir Sam Branson - by playing with his left hand. The former No. 1 was vacationing on Richard Branson's Necker Island when Sam challenged him to a set with a condition that right-handed Roddick had to play as a leftie.



"Even with the handicap, the result was a convincing win for Roddick. He thrashed Branson 6-0" - the New York Post quoted a source as saying.

Roddick's wife Brooklyn Decker had recently revealed that her husband ''stalked'' her. The model caught Roddick's attention when he saw her in a magazine. "He was the first to admit that he kind of stalked me," she said. "But his line was, 'It's only stalking if the other person doesn't like it'," she added.

~The Times of India

Safin says goodbye to China and slams Berdych

"Just come on, just grow up a little bit. You are 26 years old, just deal with that. If you're losing, just be a man, be a man and lose as a man."

"Don't pretend that you are injured and then you start running around and start to hit winners and then all of a sudden you pull the hands up in the air after winning the match? Of course he will find 10,000 excuses. Still, it's not enough. You're playing or you're not playing. If you're playing, so just shut...up and play."

~shaw

They really love Rafa in China

This doesn't require any comment...

~shaw

Mauresmo considers retirement

Amelie Mauresmo pulled out of Tokyo, Beijing, Linz & Luxembourg. She didn't want to fly accross the world and play again anymore this year.


"Since coming back from the U.S. Open, I have tried to practice but haven't been able to find the desire to return to competition." Mauresmo said on her official website.
"I don't want to rush or force things. I'm letting myself have some time to reflect before taking a decision about the rest of my career."

On the positive note Mauresmo has just entered the field in Gold Coast and Sydney for next year.

So, what is it all about?

~shaw

Has Sharapova got psychological problems?

“That’s the worst match I’ve played in the last six months. It’s normal to win and lose, why do you always question my attitude when I lose? Sharapova also lost today, would you say she has psychological problems?”

- Na Li after going down to Elena Dementieva 2/6; 0/6 in the 3rd round of Beijing. It seems like the pressure finally got to China's best player. The Chinese media really should give her a break, it isn't her fault she doesn't have a Gameplan B (the "B" of course doesn't stand for Ballbashing, coz we all know too good, that she's a master at that...).

~jachal

Wozniacki not happy with the organizers

US Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki is quickly moving up the rankings and therefor becoming one of the WTA stars, but last week she couldn't fully deliver due to an infection. She had give up the match against Aleksandra Wozniak in Tokio after trailing the Canadian 0-5 in the first set. This week, still not feeling 100%, she asked the Beijing organizers to move her match, but her request was denied, which led to a tset lost to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. Here's her take on the whole situation:



"In Beijing, I still was not feeling close to 100%, so I asked the tournament director and WTA for a Monday start (instead of playing my first round on Sunday), but it was very frustrating to learn on Saturday that I was scheduled to play my first match on Sunday. I really needed every hour of rest to get over this virus and ready for my first match, but the WTA or tournament director did not seem to care at all and take this into consideration. The WTA Tour is supposed to be a players union, but I certainly don’t think they represented my best interest this week in Beijing and it was very disappointing. In my first round, I ended up playing Maria Jose Martinez-Sanchez, and I played a good first set which I won close 7-5. In the second set, it was really close again but I lost it in a tiebreaker and then in the third set I just completely ran out of energy and ended up losing the match."

"Losing my first round in is Beijing was exactly what I was worried about since I have not practiced for more than one hour in the past week. I was hopeful that if th WTA were to give me a first round start on Monday that I could’ve had a much better chance of winning and feeling better as I were to advance through the tournament. I am never one to make excuses because Martinez-Sanchez did play a good match, but I really feel the WTA and tournament director could’ve helped me and they chose not to"

It seems like the polite Dane finally got some character. Is this the influence of her closest freind on Tour - Agnieszka Radwanska (who is only trailing Serena Williams, when it comes down to being outspoken)???

~jachal

Players Party in Beijing

The players party in Beijing looked kinda stiff, but whatever - they managed to gather all the big names there, so give them some credit. At least the players had each other, so that they could to talk to someone. Anyone.

Here's the video, that makes it look less boring. Don't get fooled.



For many more photos of teh Players Party click HERE.

~jachal