Serena pulls out, Venus loses in Rome (AP)
16 May 2008 at 4:06pm
Serena Williams withdrew from her quarterfinal match at the Italian Open on Friday due to a back problem, and older sister Venus Williams was beaten by defending champion Jelena Jankovic. Jankovic will next play second-seeded Maria Sharapova, who rallied past 2005 runner-up Patty Schnyder 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-2 to gain the semifinal with her 300th career win.
Nadal, Djokovic to play for world No. 2 (AP)
16 May 2008 at 2:10pm
Defending champion Roger Federer cruised into the semifinals of the Hamburg Masters by defeating Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-3 on Friday. Novak Djokovic also made the final four, downing Albert Montanes 6-2, 6-3. Djokovic will face Rafael Nadal, who defeated Carlos Moya, 6-1, 6-3. "I played a very good match against a very good player tonight and I will have to play best to win tomorrow," Nadal said.
Henin retirement to make Sharapova No. 1 (AP)
15 May 2008 at 8:25am
Maria Sharapova will assume the No. 1 ranking in tennis because of Justine Henin's retirement. The 25-year-old Henin, who retired Wednesday, asked to be removed from the rankings, the WTA Tour said Thursday. Sharapova will automatically become No. 1 when the next rankings are released Monday. It will mark the fourth time the Russian has held the top ranking.
Kuerten among wild cards at French Open (AP)
15 May 2008 at 11:18am
Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten was given a wild-card entry into this year's tournament by the French tennis federation on Thursday. The 31-year-old Brazilian will be playing his final tournament at Roland Garros, where he won his only majors in 1997, 2000 and 2001. The clay-court tournament begins May 25, with the main draw two days before.
Henin announces immediate retirement (AP)
14 May 2008 at 1:29pm
The determination that helped Justine Henin beat bigger, stronger opponents time and again was fading. "I decided," the 25-year-old Belgian said, "to stop fooling myself and accept it." Henin retired from tennis Wednesday, an abrupt ending to a career in which she won seven Grand Slam singles titles and spent more than 100 weeks ranked No.
Sharapova, WTA compromise on photo shoot (AP)
12 May 2008 at 10:03am
Maria Sharapova reached a compromise with the WTA Tour and completed a promotional photo shoot before the Italian Open began Monday. The second-ranked Russian was opposed to the shoot because she does not like distractions before tournaments, and claimed the WTA threatened to fine her more than $300,000 if she refused.
Doubles team of twins heroic in fire (AP)
13 May 2008 at 2:46pm
Twin brothers who play professional tennis as a doubles team helped the wife and son of another doubles player escape from a hotel fire. Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana of Thailand were making their way through thick, black smoke to exit their hotel when they heard someone calling for them. It was the wife of Lucas Arnold Ker, who like the twins is in town for a Challenger Series tournament.
|
|
