ATP championships to shift to London
July 3, 2007
The season-ending ATP championships will move to London from Shanghai starting in 2009. The Masters Cup, which features the top eight players and doubles teams, will be renamed the ATP World Tour Finals and played in London for four years, the ATP said Tuesday. The $4.5 million tournament will continue to be played in November when it moves to the O2 Arena in East London.
Horna retires vs. Gaudio in Mexico
February 28, 2007
Defending champion Luis Horna lasted just two games before retiring with an injury against fifth-seeded Gaston Gaudio in the first round of the Mexican Open on Tuesday. Horna, who won his first career title here a year ago and his second this month in Chile, pulled up with a right leg injury while serving at 1-1.
Safin wins Tennis Channel Open debut
February 28, 2007
Marat Safin beat Stefan Koubek of Austria 7-5, 6-2 in his opening round-robin match at the Tennis Channel Open on Tuesday. The third-seeded Russian, now 3-0 in his career against Koubek, had to adapt gusting winds of up to 32 mph throughout his match. “It is very tough,” said Safin. “It is difficult to play your very best tennis.
Federer advances to quarters in Dubai
February 27, 2007
Roger Federer defeated Daniele Bracciali 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the Dubai Open. The top-seeded Federer next will face seventh-seeded Novak Djokovic, who beat Rainer Schuettler 7-6 (5), 6-3. Olivier Rochus upset third-seeded Nikolay Davydenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, and Mikhail Youzhny topped sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych 7-6 (6), 6-3 in other matches.
Henin, Clijsters out of Fed Cup vs. U.S.
February 26, 2007
Justine Henin and Kim Clijsters will not play for Belgium in its Fed Cup match against the United States in April. Both second-ranked Henin and fourth-ranked Clijsters cited a busy schedule, the Belgian tennis federation officially announced on Monday. The first-round match takes place April 21-22 in Delray Beach, Fla.
Venus wins title in return from layoff
February 25, 2007
Venus Williams has a message for anyone who thought she might use her latest injury as an excuse to finally leave tennis. She’s back, and she plans on working her way back up to an elite level. “I love a challenge,” Williams said. She hadn’t played competitive tennis since last October because of an injured left wrist and had pulled out of four events, including the Australian Open won last month by…
Hewitt out of Rotterdam with injury
February 20, 2007
Lleyton Hewitt pulled out of the ABN Amro tournament with a hamstring injury Tuesday. The seventh-seeded Australian, who won the Rotterdam tournament in 2004, was due to play his opening singles match Wednesday. Hewitt, a former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, injured his right hamstring last week at the ATP tournament in Marseille, France.
Venus wins after four-month layoff
February 20, 2007
Venus Williams overcame struggles with her serve after a four-month layoff to defeat Akiko Morigami of Japan 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 Monday night in the opening round of the Cellular South Cup, a Tier III tournament. She will face Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark on Tuesday night. The 16-year-old Wozniacki took three sets to beat Stephanie Foretz of France 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 earlier Monday.
Suarez cruises to win in Bogota
February 19, 2007
Paola Suarez cruised to a 6-0, 6-3 victory Monday over Zsofia Gubacsi on the opening day of the Copa Colsanitas Santander. Rains delayed play in the outdoor clay event at the Club Campestre el Rancho, which carries a purse of $175,000. Suarez is looking for her third title in Colombia. Mariana Duque beat Viky Nunez 6-2, 6-0 in an all-Colombian matchup.
Top-seeded Davydenko wins in Rotterdam
February 19, 2007
Mikhail Youzhny of Russia beat fourth-seeded Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-1 at the ABN Amro on Tuesday. Youzhny raced to a 5-0 lead in the third set and then served out to set up a second-round match against Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Berdych was the first seeded player knocked out of the tournament.
