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

Why are the ATP players hitting Ayumi???

Poor Ayumi Morita, like she didn't suffer enough this season with all her injuries, now the ATP players are giving her a hard time... Is this how they promote ATP in Japan or is it a simpe act of WTA bashing? Still, it seems like Lleyton Hewitt, Juan Martin Del Potro, Gael Monfils and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga enjoyed it ;)

~jachal

Guess who's known for splits, glitter and medical timeouts?

"Is her last name Jankovic?"

- Maria Sharapova's response to Victoria Azarenka's second medical timeout during an epic 2nd round match, which the Russian won by coming back from 2-5 down in the third set, to eventually win it 6/3 6/7 7/5. Is this the reason why later that evening Jelena Jankovic didn't retire against Shuai Peng, though clearly still being injured?

~jachal

Serena Williams - the naked number one

No offense to Dinara Safina, but this shit really had to come to an end. It was getting more ridiciulous with every single match, setting new low standards for the WTA Tour. On Monday Serena Williams will overtake the Russian as the new world No.1.

Serena on the cover of the ESPN magazine

Serena, an eleven time Grand Slam champion, is someone who is more likely to be associated with the top spot and by many seen as the true world No.1 at the moment. This is the key argument she uses, while explaining why she deserves to be on the top of the standings, buty if you look closely at her results this year - they've been far from impressive (besides the Grand Slams). The American hasn't won a tournament outside of the Grand Slams for more than 1,5 year!!! From Miami til the French Open she couldn't win a single match, going on a 4 match losing streak.

Serena reaching the top spot perfectly exemplifies, that there's no real No.1 at the moment on Tour. Nobody has fully taken the initiative since Justine Henin's departure, so it won't surprise anybody if she would recapture her reign of the WTA. And it is kinda funny, that the only person, who right now looks like keeping her away from doing it - is her countrywoman - Kim Clijsters. We'll wait, we'll see as all this developes. If the Belgiums come back for good, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva will be kicking their own asses for not using the best chance ever, to make it the top of the rankings asd all the other players did...

~jachal

It's a miracle: Lukasz Kubot beats Andy Roddick...

Guys, ARGWUS team is so happy about today's result that we have to post it here...

Lukasz Kubot from Poland recorded the biggest win of his career (first TOP 10 win ever) as he stunned defending champion and World No. 6 Andy Roddick 6-2, 6-4 in 1st round of China Open.


This season is just amazing for the Pole. He reached final in Belgrad, he won 2 doubles tournaments, reached his highest ranking of 112 and he is on the best way to qualify for ATP World Tour Final in doubles.

~shaw

Rafa's dreams

"I would love to serve like Karlovic and volley like Federer."

- Rafael Nadal dreaming.

~jachal

Jelena Dokic bounces back once again

Can we now oficially call 2009 the year of the comebacks. Tennis fans tend to get emotional, when it comes down to comebacks and we've been blessed with amazing ones this year - Kim Clijsters, Kimiko Date-Krumm and Maria Sharapova... They all have been spectacular, but, there is one comeback-kid that kinda tops it all (at least for the Argwus Team) - Jelena Dokic. Her amazing quarterfinal run at this year's Australian Open will always have a special spot in our hearts. Battling through the past, through form and confidence crisis and through her own demons - and that all with tears in her eyes. It's not possible to erase that picture. It wasn't easy for Dokic, even after that fabulous run, coz there was some more suffering ahead of her - mononucleosis. It seems like God chose for Jelena a path to happyness through hell. Now, she once again somehow made it happen - she won the Athens challenger without dropping a set, her biggest title since 2002. In the final she beat Eleni Daniilidou 6/2 6/1, who as you may already figure out is a comeback-kid herself.

Here you get the tournament's trophy ceremony and the speeches of both girls.

~jachal

Williams killer prepares 2 B killed

Sad 2 be dead?

"She started actually way (more) aggressive today especially the first set. She was playing much better, she was already preparing for this match more ... she wanted to kill me I guess."

- Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on her 2nd win over Venus Williams in as many weeks. Oh no, Nastya, she didn't want to kill you, it's not Serena, you were playing against... :P

~jachal

You don't know her

"I will shove that ball down your fuckin' throat. I swear to God. You don't know me!"

- Serena Williams tells the lineumpire in her own words what she thinks about the footfault call during the US Open semifinal against Kim Clijsters. Ahh well, we all know the story well enough, don't we?

~jachal

Safina's slump continues with a record loss

Dinara Safina re-wrote the tennis history books today by losing to Shuai Zhang at the Beijing Open. The Chinese was given a wildcard into the Premier Mandatory event, coz with her ranking place of 226, she couldn't even get direct acceptance into the qualifications, but the 20 year old knew to make out the most of it, as she beat teh Russian 7/5 7/6(5). This marks the worst ever loss by a World No.1 in terms of ranking.


Safina, who by many has been pointed out as the worst world No.1 ever, because she didn't have a Grand Slam title under her belt, has been in a slumpfrom this summer on. She lost 4 of her last 6 matches and only one of those losses came to a player ranked inside the top 30. She went out in the 3rd round of the US Open to Petra Kvitova (WTA, 70) and in Tokyo last week to the qualifier Kai-Chen Chang (WTA, 132), but loss is a new low. The previous shameful record belonged to Ana Ivanovic, who lost to Julie Coin (WTA, 188).

Safina's playing under the pressure of being the world's best player, may end now very quickly. Should Serena Williams win her next match over Ekatarina Makarova, she will overtake the Russian in the rankings. Let's see how this unfoldsa nd if Serena was right saying everybody knew whi the real No.1 player was...

Dina refused to talk to the reporters after the match, but released an oficial statement, saying she would like to take a break as she is disappointed with herself.

Will Safina continue now her brother's pattern?

~jachal