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Tag: Women’s Tennis

  • Caroline Wozniacki Forgot To Take The Money, $1.45 Million!

    Tennis sweetheart Caroline Wozniacki, currently holding the seventh spot in the world rankings, was said to be more excited about New York Fashion Week than her U.S. Open runner-up winnings. She was apparently so excited that she left the tournament without claiming her $1.45M prize money.

    After losing to her close personal friend Serena Williams in the U.S. Open final earlier this month, she dutifully faced the press and then headed for home. About half an hour later, WSJ reports that she arrived back at the tennis center saying “I forgot to pick up my prize money.”

    The Danish-born Wozniacki apparently doesn’t concern herself much with money. Not only did she forget to claim her $1.45 million check, she also didn’t inquire about an extra $500,000 in sponsorship incentives that is due her for her strong showing in the Open.

    The fact that she earns over $10 million in annual endorsements may have something to do with her cool. But even her agent and manager, John Tobias, has stated that the 24-year-old star gives more weight to how she feels about a product rather than her potential earnings when discussing business particulars for her endorsements.

    “I have enough to eat, buy nice shoes,” Wozniacki told WSJ. “For me, it’s about the tennis and the trophies. I’m not motivated by money.”

    Wozniacki’s focus is set on winning a Grand Slam tournament. She definitely got far with rejuvenating her career with a 43-16 record this season. Fans expect a lot from this former world No. 1, who played her best tennis in years and made it back to her first Grand Slam final since 2009.

    It is said that her tennis declined in the past years that she was engaged to pro golfer Rory McIlroy.  Her comeback became apparent earlier in the season when Wozniacki won a tournament in Istanbul, which came after McIlroy broke off their engagement.

  • Li Na: Chinese Tennis Champion Retires Due To Chronic Knee Injuries

    Tennis superstar, Li Na, has announced her immediate retirement from the sport saying her chronic knee injuries cause so much pain that she is no longer able to give 100% to her game.

    The current world No. 6 is the first Chinese player to win a grand slam singles champion title, which she won twice, in the French Open in 2011 and the Australian Open in 2014.

    “It took me several agonizing months to finally come to the decision that my chronic injuries will never again let me be the tennis player that I can be,” Li wrote on her Facebook page. “Walking away from the sport, effective immediately, is the right decision for me and my family.”

    The 32-year-old Li has had four major knee surgeries in the span of her career, the most recent one being in July, which forced her to withdraw from the recent U.S. Open. Credited for helping popularize the sport in China and the rest of Asia, Li has no regrets about her decision to hang up her racquet. She now plans to focus her efforts on helping develop the next generation of tennis stars from her home country. “We’re putting together various plans on how we will continue to grow the sport of tennis in China,” she said. “These plans include opening the Li Na Tennis Academy, which will provide scholarships for the future generation of Chinese tennis stars.” She also said she will continue to be involved in the Right to Play, an organization dedicated to helping underprivileged children overcome challenges through sport.

    WTA chairman and chief executive officer Stacey Allaster paid tribute to her career by highlighting the Chinese star’s role in promoting tennis in Asia:

    “She is a pioneer who opened doors to tennis for hundreds of millions of people throughout China and Asia,” Allaster said in a statement. “It’s hard to be a household name in a nation with 1.4 billion people, but that’s what Li Na is.”

  • Serena Williams Recovers From ‘Viral Illness’, Will Defend Swedish Open Title

    After retiring at Wimbledon from her doubles match with sister Venus Williams, Serena Williams is now doing well and will be returning to the court to defend her Swedish Open title on July 14. Tournament director Nina Wennerstrom confirmed Williams’ participation through an email sent to ESPN.

    Before retiring from last Wednesday’s game, Williams looked disoriented and had trouble catching tennis balls from the ball girls. Williams withdrew from the game because of a viral illness. In a statement Williams said, “I am heartbroken I’m not able to continue in the tournament. I thought I could rally this morning, because I really wanted to compete, but this bug just got the best of me.”

    On Friday, the 32-year-old tennis star posted a picture of herself on Instagram where she was lying under a blanket. According to her agent Jill Smoller, she is now getting better.

    Amidst the rumors surrounding Williams’ withdrawal, nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova expressed her own opinion about the incident. “I find it distressing. I think virus, whatever they’re saying it was, I don’t think that was it. I think it’s clear that’s not the case. I don’t know what it is, but I hope Serena will be OK,” she told ESPNW in an interview.

    When the incident happened, Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou said that he had not seen Williams for two days. “How can you be a coach and not know anything? That’s wrong,” continued Navratilova.

    Whatever the reason for Williams’ withdrawal, Navratilova is sure that a virus was not the cause.

    Former No. 1 Andy Roddick, who is a close friend of Williams, texted the tennis champ after hearing of the incident. On his Fox Sports Radio show, he read her reply: “Andy, I’m just not well.”

    Whether her withdrawal was from a viral illness or something else, Williams seems to be doing well enough to play tennis again.

     Image via YouTube

  • Serena Williams Exits Doubles Match At Wimbledon Due To Ailment

    Serena Williams was out of her game on Saturday. During the warm up for her doubles match against Kristina Barrois and Stefanie Vögele, she looked disoriented and had trouble picking up the tennis balls.

    On Saturday, Williams said that she did not know what she did wrong, referring to her loss to Alize Cornet. “Usually I do. Usually I know I did this, this and that.” Lindsey Davenport told BBC that talks in the locker room are different now. “The general consensus in the locker room is they have a chance now, and it wasn’t like that a few years ago,” she said.

    Serena Williams seemed wobbly and disoriented on the court.

    Soon after the warm-up, doctors visited Williams on the court to check her blood pressure. A shaky and teary-eyed Williams said that she felt faint. Her sister Venus was by her side looking concerned. Despite her condition, Williams decided to play. In the middle of the match, however, an announcement came saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, unfortunately, Miss Williams has to retire.”

    According to the referee’s office, William’s reason for withdrawal was a viral illness. In a statement, Williams said, “I am heartbroken I’m not able to continue in the tournament. I thought I could rally this morning because I really wanted to compete, but this bug just got the best of me.”

    Williams also thanked her fans for the support they gave her despite her withdrawal. “From the bottom of my heart, I thank all of the fans for their cheers and understanding. I look forward to returning to Wimbledon next year,” she said.

    Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou said that he did not know what Williams’ ailment was and he said that he had not seen her for two days before she entered the court.

    Nearly two hours after her withdrawal, Williams was seen walking to a tournament van with Mouratoglou.

    Image via YouTube

  • Ana Ivanovic Finally Wins A Title On A Grass Court

    Serbian tennis pro Ana Ivanovic, 26, has finally achieved her first grass court title. On Sunday, she defeated Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova with a score of 6-3 6-2, which allowed her to earn the coveted Aegon Classic title in Birminghan, England. It was the first time Zahlavova-Strycova played in a major tournament final.

    Ivanovic started her game a bit shaky, but she was able to recover quickly and dominate her opponent on court. Her win showed that she can adapt and play on any surface, and many are saying that this is her best year of playing since 2008.

    It was the 37th win for Ivanovic, and her third title of the year, which places her on par with Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams who also have three titles this year.

    “On grass you really don’t have time to hesitate. I tried to shorten my swing and move forwards. You really have to go after your shots. It’s important to be clear in your mind,” Ivanovic said.

    Regarding her win, Ivanovic said that she didn’t expect to win. “You’re waiting for such as result and now it comes and I’m very happy, but I didn’t expect it,” she said. Reporters also asked how she managed to finally win on a grass court. She answered, “The biggest challenge for me at the moment is to be okay with not playing a perfect game, not playing a perfect shot.”

    She also said that she doesn’t dwell on opponents playing better than her. She said that she accepts it and tries her best on the court.

    Now that she has won the Aegon Classic, Ivanovic will become the No. 11 seed women’s pro tennis player. The upcoming Wimbledon Championships could be her chance to get back into the top 10 after five years.

    In June 2011, Ivanovic was named one of the “30 Legends of Women’s Tennis: Past, Present and Future,” which was compiled by Time.

    Image via YouTube

  • Monica Seles: Owner Of The Buffalo Bills?

    Monica Seles: Owner Of The Buffalo Bills?

    Hungarian tennis pro Monica Seles, 40, is engaged to 72-year-old Tom Golisano, the former owner of the NHL team, Buffalo Sabres.

    Seles is known for being stabbed by a fan of German tennis star and rival Steffi Graf. Due to the injury, Seles had to stop playing tennis for two years. She retired in 2008.

    Seles and Golisano started dating in 2009. In a visit to Bishop Kearney High School in Irondequoit on Thursday, Golisano announced their engagement.

    According to reports, Golisano has shown his interest in purchasing the Buffalo Bills that was founded and owned by the late Ralph Wilson. Wilson’s family has been in charge of the team since Wilson’s death on March 25 of this year.

    Given the big age gap between Seles and Golisano, it is most likely that Seles will outlive the businessman and philanthropist. If plans of purchasing the Buffalo Bills push through, Seles could be the future owner of the NFL team. Of course, this all depends on the pre-nuptial agreements that have to be settled before their marriage.

    Seles played professional tennis from 1989 to 2003, and became the youngest French Open champion at the age of 16. Between 1990 and 1993, she achieved eight grand slam titles before the age of 20, and was consistently ranked no. 1 in the world. However, she never got back to her great form after returning from her stabbing. In 2011, Seles was named one of “30 Legends of Women’s Tennis: Past, Present and Future” by Time.

    Golisano, a billionaire, is the founder of the Paychex payroll processing company. He is the former owner of the Buffalo Bandits lacrosse team and the Buffalo Sabres hockey team. Golisano is now spending his time awarding grants and giving donations to various charities.

    Seles and Golisano now live in Florida.

    Image via YouTube

  • Is Simona Halep’s Breast Surgery Boosting Her Tennis Career?

    Simona Halep’s breast surgery may just have saved her tennis career. The 22-year-old Romanian tennis pro has propelled herself to the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time in her career, and many are thinking that her breast reduction has something to do with it.

    Halep had the world junior number one spot and the Roland Garros girls title in 2008, but her career didn’t take off.

    Halep underwent breast reduction when she was 18 years old and went from a 34DD to a 34C. Halep has already mentioned that the change in her body has had a positive impact on her game. She said that she is able to move better, has more speed, and her footwork is better. This month, she is ranked a career-high no. 4 seed in the world.

    Simona Halep before her breast reduction

    Halep’s breasts are no longer a hinderance

    On Wednesday, Halep defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-2, 6-2  to advance to the semifinal round.  Kuznetsova said, “She plays always very smart tennis. She doesn’t overpower you. She takes off the speed very well.”

    “For me to be here it’s not a surprise, because I’m more confident now in myself,” said Halep. The tennis player is very happy to get the chance to play in the fourth round, but remains very focused on winning this year’s French Open title.

    Last year, Halep was voted WTA’s Most Improved Player, and for good reason. Halep has won seven titles in the past 13 months, bested only by Serena Williams. Halep, however, won titles on hard courts, clay, and grass—the only player to do so within that period of time.

    With her success at Roland Garros, it’s clear that Halep’s tennis career is on the upswing, and it may indeed be because of her breast reduction.

    Halep will be facing Andrea Petkovic on Thursday. If she beats her, she will then face Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard, or Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova.

    Image via YouTube

  • Maria Sharapova Doesn’t Take Ernests Gulbis’ Sexist Remarks Seriously

    Ernests Gulbis from Latvia, 25, made sexist comments when reporters asked him about his two younger sisters who also play tennis. He said that he wishes his sisters would not pursue professional tennis, as it’s tough for a woman.

    “A woman needs to enjoy life a little bit more. Needs to think about family needs to think about kids. What kids you can think about until age of 27 if you’re playing professional tennis, you know. That’s tough for a woman, I think.” said Gulbis.

    The comments again came out when reporters asked 27-year-old Maria Sharapova about what she thought of Gulbis’ statement.

    Sharapova answered that people shouldn’t take everything Gulbis says seriously. “I mean let’s be honest with that. I think he’s great entertainment and we love to listen to what he has to say… in a way, I think he was joking, but he’s playing the sport, so how bad can it be?” She continued to say that if professional tennis were so bad, Gulbis wouldn’t be playing it even though he’s a man.

    Sharapova also said that playing professional tennis brings many opportunities to women, especially given her experiences. However, she also said that she wouldn’t wish the same experience for her kids.

    “But then when I’m playing the matches, I’m in front of thousands of people and the experience that this sport brings, I think, of course I want my kids to do this, this is such a huge lesson in life,” Sharapova said.

    Garbine Muguruza, 20, also disagrees with Gulbis’ statement saying that women should play tennis until they want, even if they pursue having a family. “You can play until you want to play,” she said.

    Gulbis’ comments may be sexist for some, but for others, he is only looking out for his younger sisters and being protective of them like a brother should.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Angelique Kerber Out Of French Open After Losing To Eugenie Bouchard

    On Sunday, Eugenie Bouchard propelled to the French Open quarterfinals when she beat Angelique Kerber of Germany with a score of 6-1, 6-2. The match was over in 52 minutes.

    After the match, Bouchard said, “I believe I can play with the best girls out there. She’s top 10, so I respect her. She can play some really good tennis. I was really mentally prepared for anything, for a battle.”

    On the other side, Kerber said, “I was not in the game. I was trying, but I had no rhythm. I don’t know. I make so many mistakes. I actually was not moving very good. So, yeah, I just can say that it was not my best day today.” Although she lost, Kerber still praised Bouchard saying that she played well.

    In the first 15 minutes of the match, Bouchard was already in the lead at 5-0. She only made 11 unforced errors throughout the game, and had 77 percent first serves in the first set. During the second set, she served 42 percent first serves, but was still able to win the round. Kerber, on the other hand, made plenty of unforced errors.

    Bouchard also said that she always tries to take control of the game with her serves and her returns and always makes it her goal to move forward.

    Bouchard practiced with her coach Nick Saviano in order to boost her game level. “Even if he’s in his 50s, he can still serve a few,” she said referring to her coach.

    Bouchard will play Carla Suarez Navarro, No. 14, at the quarterfinal round.

    “There is a lot of room for other players to move up. I think it just makes the draw really interesting when some of the top names are out and we see some new names that we haven’t seen that much,” Bouchard said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Serena Williams Demolished At French Open

    Serena Williams Demolished At French Open

    On Wednesday, Serena and Venus Williams both lost in the second round. They were looking forward to playing with each other, but it seems that they will both be going home early. Had they won against their opponents, they would have met at the third round.

    Garbiñe Muguruza is a 20-year-old Spanish-Venezuelan tennis player. She beat Serena with a score of 6-2, 6-2, which is one of the worst single losses the tennis champ has experienced. It is the earliest that Serena had to go home since losing in the first round at Roland Garros 2 years ago.

    Serena Williams vs. Garbiñe Muguruza: match highlights


    “It was one of those days. You can’t be on every day, and, gosh I hate to be off during a Grand Slam. It happens, you know. It’s not the end of the world. It’s what it is.”

    Serena Williams’ post match interview

    Venus was defeated by Anna Schmiedlova from Slovakia with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 6-4.

    Muguruza has been a fan of the Williams sisters for quite a while. As a child, she studied tennis matches and aspired to play against Serena on the court. On Wednesday, her wish came true when she beat Serena. “So when you watch someone play, you know exactly what you need to do to defeat her,” Muguruza said.

    Muguruza said that it was difficult for her to go against Serena, as she is a big fan. “It was really difficult to be able to, O.K., be calm and say, ‘It’s another player,’” she said.

    It is only Muguruza’s second time at the French Open. Last year, she was eliminated in the second round. However, she was able to reach the third round at last year’s Australian Open.

    “It’s very difficult, because since I was a child when I turn on the TV, I see her play. Everything, when I’m practicing, okay, how Serena serves, how she plays a backend. I saw like 100 videos of her,” Muguruza said.

    Image via YouTube

  • Li Na On First Round Loss At French Open: “I Gave It Away”

    Li Na, 32-year-old Chinese professional tennis player, failed to win the first round of the French Open on Tuesday, as she lost to Kristina Mladenovic of France with a score of 7-5, 3-6, 6-1.

    With her loss, she failed to get the chance to be the first woman since 2001 to win the Roland Garros and the Australian Open in the same year. The last woman to do so was Jennifer Capriati.

    “The problem is myself. I don’t think I’m doing well on the court. And also, even during the match, I don’t think totally about what I should do, like especially I didn’t follow the game plan,” Na said.

     French Open Highlights: Li Na Vs. Kristina Mladenovic

    Li already won the French Open in 2011, and was hoping to win this year. However, she ended up with 37 errors against Mladenovic’s 25.

    Mladenovic, 21, was ranked at No. 103, but was able to improve her game and lift her rank up to No. 36. However, her poor start this season made her slip out of the top 100. The French player was ecstatic about beating Na. “This is really big, you don’t beat Li Na every day,” she said.

    “I gave it away,” said Na. “Nobody say if you No. 2 in the world you have to win all the matches. I mean, this is tennis.” Na also thinks that she would have lost to anyone who went against her that day.

    Na’s 2014 season is one of her worst clay seasons in her entire career. At the Stuttgart Open, she had to withdraw because of her left knee injury. At the Mutua Madrid Open, she was able to beat Zheng Jie and Kirsten Flipkens in the first two rounds, but was unable to win against Maria Sharapova. Her bad streak continued when she lost to Sara Errani, who she had defeated 6 times before, at the 2014 Internazionali BNL d’Italia.

    Li Na talks about her loss

    Image via YouTube

  • Victoria Azarenka’s Injured Foot Will Keep Her Out Of 2014 French Open

    Belarusian professional tennis player, Victoria Azarenka, will be missing the action at the 2014 French Open due to a foot injury.

    Her foot injury, which she has been nursing since March, has already forced her to pull out of several tennis tournaments held in Rome, Madrid, Miami, and Doha.

    The announcement of the withdrawal from the French Open came on Azarenka’s Twitter account where she wrote, “Hi Guys – Unfortunately I will not be able to compete in Roland Garros this year. Working hard on my recovery & getting back on the court.”

    The last time the 24-year-old was on the court was in March at Indian Wells, wherein she lost the game to Lauren Davis due to her injury on the left foot. It was evident that she was not on top of her game. Before the Indian Wells match, Azarenka competed in two other tournaments. At the Australian Open, she lost to her rival Agnieszka Radwanska, and at the Brisbane International, she lost to Serena Williams.

    Victoria Azarenka vs. Serena Williams at Brisbane International

    Azarenka is seen as a competitive tennis player on the court. Her withdrawal from the French Open and other important tournaments says how serious her injury is.

    Although the French Open is not Azarenka’s strongest suit, she has displayed immense improvement as seen when she advanced to the semifinals at the 2013 French Open. This year, however, her chance to improve may be stalled, due to her injury.

    The decision to pull out of a big competition may be difficult for the tennis player, but it is sure to benefit her in the long run. The French Open is slated to start on May 25 in Paris.

    If she takes time to recuperate and focus on getting her foot better, she might be able to get back to playing in time for the U.S. Open, which is scheduled to start in August.

    Image via YouTube

  • Maria Sharapova Stages Comeback To Win Madrid Open

    It didn’t look good for Maria Sharapova at the start of the championship match at the Madrid Open yesterday. The Russian dropped the first set to 22-year-old Simona Halep 1-6, holding serve only one time.

    However, somehow the 8th ranked world player, and former number one, put it together and took the next two sets 6-2, 6-3. The match served as retribution for last year’s final, where Sharapova lost to American Serena Williams.

    Sharapova has dominated on clay throughout her career. Since 2011, she is 47-3, all her losses came at the hand of Serena. Luckily for Sharapova, Williams did not play at the Madrid Open this year due to a leg injury.

    The comeback started to brew in the second set with Sharapova’s dominating ground strokes, which kept the Romanian running all over the court. Sharapova was subsequently able to break Halep’s serve twice in the second set to tie the match. She then maintained that momentum in the deciding set to grab her first ever Madrid Open championship.

    This was Sharapova’s 32nd overall championship title. She said after the victory, “I came close last year, and I didn’t have a great first set today, but I knew it wasn’t over until the last point was played.” She added, “I don’t know how I pulled it off.”

    Sharapova missed most of last year with a shoulder injury. However, she looked strong during the Madrid Open and should be a serious contender at next month’s French Open, which is played on clay. Sharapova said at a news conference after the match, “I don’t take these moments for granted because I know what it’s like to be out and injured and trying to find your way back just to play tennis.” The 27-year-old added, “So it doesn’t matter if I’m playing on the moon or in Madrid, to be in the final position is an honor.”

    The victory brings Sharapova up a spot in the world rankings to number seven. On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal captured his fourth Madrid Open championship after his opponent Kei Nishikori had to exit the match due to a back injury. Nadal was leading 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 when the match stopped.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Martina Hingis And Sabine Lisicki Win Doubles Title At Sony Open

    Tennis pro Martina Hingis and playing partner Sabine Lisicki won in the doubles competition at the Sony Open in Key Biscayne, Miami, Florida on Sunday. It has been seven years since her last doubles title in 2007 when she played in Doha. It is her 38th WTA trophy win.

    The former world No. 1 first decided to retire in 2003 due to injuries. She returned to the game in 2005, but decided to retire again in 2007. The second retirement was also due to the two-year suspension she received from the International Tennis Federation.  That year, Hingis’ urine sample was found to contain benzoylecgonine, a metabolite found in cocaine.

    In July last year, Hingis took up the racket again to play in the sport’s doubles event in Carlsbad, pairing up with Daniela Hantuchova. It was also the month she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

    Hingis and Lisicki joined the BNP Paribas Open tournament in California’s Indian Wells Tennis Garden earlier this March, but they only got so far as the first round. At first Hingis wasn’t sure if she wanted to join the Key Biscayne tournament and lose again, but now that they’ve won, things have changed, and she seems inclined to continue playing more matches.

    The Swiss Hingis and German Lisicki took on Russian duo Elena Vesnina and Ekaterina Makarova, scoring 4-6, 6-4, and 10-5 to win the game. The champion pair joined the Florida tournament as a wildcard entry. They were able to win the last seven points of the game’s super tie-break against the Russians.

    The 33-year-old pro tennis player is a five-time Grand Slam singles title holder: one for the US Open, another for Wimbledon, and three for the Australian Open. She has also won nine Grand Slam women’s doubles titles. Sunday’s win will most likely project Hingis to 60th place in the new doubles world rankings. Lisicki is projected to move up to 36th place.

    Everybody knows Martina Hingis, but who is Sabine Lisicki? Watch her in action.

    Image via TeamSabine,  Twitter

  • Flavia Pennetta Wins Indian Wells Title

    Flavia Pennetta Wins Indian Wells Title

    Italian tennis player Flavia Pennetta beat Polish Agnieszka Radwanska in the women’s final of Sunday’s BNP Paribas Open event at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in California. It is the biggest title of her career.

    The 6-2, 6-1 tally was a devastating loss for Radwanska, who suffered a knee injury prior to the match that affected her mobility. As she accepted her second-place trophy, she tearfully told the crowd she was “sorry I couldn’t run.” She was practicing when she hurt her left knee, and tried everything to prepare herself for the big game. “But I didn’t expect it to be much worse,” she said.

    Radwanska had no specific diagnosis for her injury, but she said that she would try to play in a match in Miami the following week. She receives a runner-up check worth $500,000, and maintains her position at No. 3 in the world. Serena Williams and Li Na take the first and second spots, respectively.

    Pennetta’s win, fair or not considering her opponent’s injury, is still seen as a major comeback into the game. In August 2012, she underwent a serious wrist surgery. Last June, her ranking dropped to 166th in the world, and she had to struggle to rebuild her career. She was eventually able to get into the semifinals of the U.S. Open.

    For the Indian Wells tournament, Pennetta was able to enter at the 21st spot and was seeded at 20th, but didn’t seem like the one who would bring home the championship. Now she not only has the first-place crystal trophy, but $1 million as well. The winning check represents 13 percent of her career winnings.

    “After so many years and so much work, this is the moment I always waited for,” Pennetta said. At 32, she is the third-oldest winner of the tournament, next to Martina Navratilova who won when she was 33 and 34 years of age in 1990-1991. It’s Pennetta’s 13th year as regular competitor, and though she thinks of herself as “old” she knows she’s a good athlete with the strength and experience “to handle the emotion and everything” that comes with being in a tournament.

    Watch highlights from the match

    http://youtu.be/NiUAnLd5XKI

    Image via YouTube

  • Eugenie Bouchard: Now Serving at the Adult Table

    Eugenie Bouchard, the 19-year-old tennis sensation hailing from Westmount, Quebec has a great chance of reaching the Australian Open Semifinals if she defeats Ana Ivanovic.

    This is record-breaking stuff for Canada; Patricia Hy-Boulais has been the only other Canadian able to make it into a Grand Slam Tournament, and that was way back in 1992. In Bouchard’s lifetime, she’d be the only Canadian to accomplish this feat in the professional women’s realm. Bouchard has already won the status as the first Canadian to win a Junior Grand Slam in singles at Wimbledon, and has proven herself to be a dominant youth player. Now it’s time to prove once and for all that she can run just as well with the big dogs.

    It won’t be easy running– although she’s fortunately been able to sidestep the most dominant player in the league right now in Serena Williams, she now has the task of taking down the victor of that intense match. Ana Ivanovic is obviously on a roll with the epic triumph under her belt, so Ivanovic will undoubtedly serve up some work for Bouchard– even though she has already decimated Ivanvoic in straight sets at the Wimbledon just last summer.

    A lot can change in a year, however, and Bouchard is not taking this upcoming match lightly. She also has to forgo resting up for the match– she has a doubles round with Vera Dushevin on Monday.

    Although Bouchard tells a Canadian newspaper that “she’s just happy to be playing,” we can be sure that the gravity of her appearing in the Grand Slam tournament is not lost on her. It is a sure bet that Bouchard will take advantage of the injury issues that likely slowed Serena Williams down to cause her defeat, allowing Bouchard to sidestep the number one tennis player in the world.

    Be sure to check your local listings to see when the Monday match airs on your network. You can also read about her bathroom struggles,

    her New Year greeting gripes

    and more by following her Twitter.

    Image via Twitter

  • Jennifer Capriati Off The Hook For Battery And Stalking

    On Monday it was announced that Jennifer Capriati is off the hook for battery and stalking charges that were brought against her. The former tennis star was reportedly charged in 2013 after a confrontation with an ex-boyfriend.

    According to Mike Edmondson, a spokesman for the Palm Beach County State attorney’s office, the misdemeanor charges were dropped after Capriati completed 30 hours of community service and underwent four hours of anger management counseling sessions.

    Court documents reveal Capriati completed her community service at Pepin Heart Institute in Tampa, FL and attended anger management sessions last week.

    “Those are standard conditions for a deferred prosecution,” Edmondson said.

    On Feb. 14th, 2013 (Valentine’s Day), the 37-year-old Capriati is alleged to have repeatedly punched her ex-boyfriend Ivan Brannan at a gym and stalked him for months prior to that incident. A witness, who is also one of Brannan’s co-workers, told authorities that Capriati tried to enter a locked room at their place of business and sometimes called as much as 50 times a day.

    Capriati is an international tennis legend who began playing professional tennis at age 13. In the 1992 Barcelona Olympic, she won a gold medal. She also won the women’s Australian and the French Open. Capriati is one of the most accomplished professional women’s tennis players in the world, having won 14 singles tournaments in her tennis career.

    This was not the first time the International Tennis Hall of Famer found herself on the wrong side of the law. Her sporting career was briefly interrupted in the mid-1990s when she was arrested for shoplifting and marijuana charges.

    Efforts to trace her for comments were not successful.

    Here’s what led to the charges against Capriati

    http://youtu.be/rJEVrCUsrw0

    Image via YouTube

  • Jennifer Capriati Charged For Allegedly Stalking, Hitting Ex-Boyfriend

    Less than one year after being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, tennis prodigy Jennifer Capriati could be in trouble with the law.

    The 36-year-old Capriati has been hit with battery and stalking charges in Palm Beach County, Florida. The charges stem from an incident between the former tennis star and her ex-boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. She is alleged to have hit Ivan Brannan on that day, and is also charged with “willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly” stalking the man around Valentine’s Day in 2012.

    The New York Post has reported that Brannan told police that Capriati accosted him at a gym on Valentines day and hit him in the chest four times. The report also recounts accusations that Capriati stalked Brannan at his workplace, pounding on the windows and calling him dozens of times a day.

    Capriati has denied the allegations via Twitter, stating that Brennan is lying and that she is “outraged” about the allegations:

    (Image courtesy daramot/Wikimedia Commons)

  • Australian Open: Twitter Buzz

    Australian Open: Twitter Buzz

    With the finals of the Australian Open quickly approaching, Twitter is buzzing with emotion. From the happy to the irate, Tweets are being posted by the minute.

    The Australian Open is one of four grand-slam tennis championships and since the first one was held in 1905, the tournament has been on fire ever since. This year’s games include names such as, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga.

    Let us know who you want to win this weekend; give us your opinions in the comments section.