Kourtin’ Karen’s Tennis News Scoreboard – Week Ending October 4, 2009
0-15
Whereabouts Provisions nail Wickmayer and Malisse
Belgians Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse have been called out on not fulfilling their anti-doping responsibilities.
Wickmayer
has missed filling out her “whereabouts” requirements three times,
while Malisse has missed them twice and has also missed a test. Three
missed tests constitute a doping offense.
Players are required
to id their location for an hour each day in order to be ready for
out-of-competition testing. Top 50 players are required to be part of
the “whereabouts” program as part of tennis’ anti-doping system. As
always there will be more to come as both player will face an
anti-doping tribunal.
0-30
ITF to Serena: two weeks to make her case…
The Times reports
that Serena Williams has the next two weeks to present to the
International Tennis Federation, her story about her conduct during her
US Open Semifinal match. The ITF will make a decision on whether or not
to impose further penalties against Ms. Williams in cluding a
suspension. Williams was fined a total of $10,500 for her actions
during the US Open.
15-30
Rafa back in the saddle
Rafael Nadal has announced his end-of-the-year schedule. He plans to play Beijing, Shanghai Masters, Paris Masters, World Tour finals and the Davis Cup final.
30-30
Doubling Up in Doha
Courtesy of the Sony Ericsson WTA tour
The
doubles team of Venus and Serena Williams has qualified for the year
end Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships in Doha. This marks the first
time that the sister team has qualified for the the year end event as a
doubles team.
30-40
Break(up) Point?
Daily Mail
Chris Evert and Greg Norman announced that they are separated after 15 months of marriage. Perhaps golf and tennis don’t mix.
Deuce
Calling it a year
AFP
Ana
Ivanovic has called it a year. Citing an upper respiratory tract
infection, she had withdrawn from Beijing. In a statement Ivanovic
said “I guess having
to withdraw from Beijing is an appropriate ending to a very
disappointing season.” “On the positive side, I am still No.11 in the
world. I have no clue how I am ranked so highly, but to look on the
bright side, I can’t play any worse than I did this year and I’m still
in the top 20!”
Disadvantage
Those who have glass tables….
….should
not sit on them. Just ask Sam Querrey who essentially fell through a
glass table. Querrey was sitting on a glass table bending over to tie
his shoes and the table shattered. A piece of glass slashed his right
forearm. He’ll be off the tour from four to six weeks.
Speaking of injuries, Andy Murray will be out of the Japan Open with a wrist injury.
Deuce
Body “Issue”
ESPN the Magazine’s first Body Issue will feature Serena Williams as one of the many athletes featured in a series of revealing photos.
Advantage
Gold “Watch” week?
Ai
Sugiyama, Sam Warburg and Segio Roitman all called a career this week.
Funny thing was that Sugiyama’s last singles match was a retirement.
She had to quit her match against Nadia Petrova in Tokyo with a stomach
ailment.
Deuce
South American Tour for WTA sirens
Maria
Sharapova and Gisela Dulko will play a series of three exhibitions from
November 29th-December 4th in Sao Paulo Brazil, Santiago,Chile and
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Shrapova is said to be pocketing nearly
one million dollars in appearance fees which will include fashion
events, charity events and youth tennis clinics.
Advantage Stamps
Add
Austria to the list of countries whose citizens can lick Roger Federer.
The country will soon issue its own Federer postage stamps.
Deuce
Photos of the week
Getty Images
Eric Butorac
Getty
Robby Ginepri
Getty
John Isner
Getty
Gilles Simon
ATP
players try their hand at kick boxing as part of the Thailand Open!
Seeing John Isner half naked is just plain scary. Gilles Simon could
probably get blown over with a feather.
Advantage
Party with Guga in 2016!
AFP
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil will host the 2016 Olympic games. Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten was part of the team traveling to International Olympic Committee vote in Copenhagen on Friday to promote Rio’s successful bid.
Rafael
Nadal who backed Madrid’s bid still believes the city should fight for
the games in the future and wished the Brazilians luck. Funny that
Nadal did not want to play a Davis Cup tie in Madrid last September due
to the altitude. Hmmm. He should love playing at sea level in Rio.
Deuce
Fresh from Hip surgery…
A few days after hip surgery, Boris Becker takes his pregnant wife out for Octoberfest! Talk about priorities!
Advantage
Hopman Cup
Teams announced so far:
Australia- Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur
Germany-Sabine Lisicki and Philipp Kohlschriber
Romania- Sorana Cirstea and Victor Hanescu
Russia- Elena Dementieva and Igor Andreev
USA- John Isner and Melanie Oudin
Deuce
No Comeback this time…
Speaking to Jon Wertheim of SI.com,
Martina Hingis whose two-year suspension came to an end on her 29th
birthday on Wednesday, says she does not plan to return to the WTA
tour.
Advantage Charity
James
Blake’s “Serving for a Cure” charity event will be held at Pier 94 in
New York City on December 1, 2009 to raising money for the Thomas
Blake, Sr., Memorial Research Fund. Andy Roddick will also participate in the event. For further information: www.jamesblaketennis.com.
Deuce
Wild and Wacky Tokyo
Only
five of the 16 seeds survived in Tokyo after the second round. The
seeds fell like rain…Safina, Kuznetsova, Dementieva, Venus Williams,
Caroline Wozniacki, Flavia Pennetta, Ana Ivanovic, Smanatha Stosur and
Virginie Razzano.
Some players questioned why Tokyo had no challenge system. You’d think a top tier event would use Hawk-eye.
Advantage Winners
Getty Images
Gillies
Simon of France (R) wins his first tournament of the year taking the
Thailand Tennis Open over Serbia’s Viktor Troicki (L).
Getty Images
Nikolay Davydenko (R) is victorious in the Malaysian Open with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Fernando (“Cheetah Shirt”) Verdasco (L).
AFP
Maria
Sharapova is back in the winners circle. She wins the Japan Open when
her opponent Jelena Jankovic is forced to retire with an injury with
the Russian leading 5-2.
Prince Congratulates Maria Sharapova on First WTA Tour Title Since Return From Surgery
Game, Set, Match and Career – Goodbye Ai!
Ai Sugiyama bids farewell to her career- watch the tribute courtesy of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour:
A Tribute to Ai Sugiyama