Roddick Still Hurting, Sampras on Coaching & Agassi's Allegations, Taylor Dent on Birth and Traveling With His Dad MORE

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It's no Secret: Federer's Definitely Talented;
Roger Wins 4th Aussie Open Over Murray

Inhaling the Pressure:
Serena Outclasses Henin to Win 5th Aussie Open

Thunder Coming Down Under:
Serena, Henin Will Renew Rivalry in Final MORE

Down Goes Azarenka: Serena Pulls Off Amazing Comeback After Na Li Knocks Out Venus MORE
Roddick's Slam Chances Receding
After 5-Set Loss to Cilic MORERoddick Roars in 5 Set Win Over Gonzalez,
to Meet Cilic, Who Upsets Del Potro

Plus: Petrova Peaking, Safina Hurt, Kirilenko, Zheng Through MORE

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Ferocious Face-Offs Down Under

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ROddick Might JUST HAVE BACK-up NOW
Isner Becomes a "Match Player" in Monfils Win

Also: Bondarenko, Kirilenko, Tomic, Fed Cup MORE

Ivanovic is Suffering and It's Not Pretty Sight

Aussie Open: US Ups and Downs, Sterling Wins, Devastating Defeats, Odd Occurences

A Tale of 2 Marias

Back to the Drawing Board for Sharapova as Kirilenko Stuns Her in First Round

2009 TennisReporters.net Readers Poll

Fans Return Federer to Top;
Serena Gains First TR Player Award

Sony Ericsson WTA Championships Breakdown MORE
Jankovic Takes Last Spot as Zvonareva Flames MORE
Decidedly Davydenko MORE
The Hit List, October 12, '09 MORE
Henin to the Rescue in a Hurry MORE
Jankovic, Sharapova to Revive Heated Junior Rivalry in Tokyo MORE
Clijsters-Henin Clash is Women's Best Rivalry MORE
Spain's 21st Century Davis Cup Dynasty MORE
US Open Title Over Federer Lifts del Potro MORE Comeback Queen Mom: Amazing Clijsters Downs Wozniacki to Win US Open MORE
Angry Serena Tossed in Bizarre US Open Semi MORE
Breaking Down the Players Amidst the Downpour MORE
Wozniacki Looks to Become New "It Girl" MORE
Serena and Comeback Mom Clijsters to Clash in USO Semis MORE
Federer Pumps Up the Volume MORE
A Mother of a Win: Clijsters Vexes Venus MORE
Dawg Day Afternoon MORE
Russia: An Enigma Rapped in a Puzzle MORE
American Revival May Be in Offing MORE
It's Serena, Venus and ... Oudin MORE
Del Potro Destroys Rafa, to Face Federer in US Open Final MORE
Cilic Stuns Murray in Breakthrough Win MORE
Del Potro Foils Ferrero and Looks Like Potential Finalist MORE
Swearing Game Bandage Tearing Zvonareva Melts Down MORE
Nadal's Injury Acts Up, to Face Monfils MORE
LA Women's Tournament Sold and Will Move to San Diego MORE
Pavel, Safin & Santoro: Retirement Trio Exits USO MORE
Clijsters Major Semifinal Threat MORE
Bury My Forehand on Venus' Wounded Knee MORE
Clijsters Craving Big Matches MORE
Isner, Young Head in Different Directions MORE
Will Federer Celebrate Sweet 16 in NYC? MORE
Drama Queens: Safina Survives, Ivanovic's Slam Season Ends in Tears MORE
Potential Early Blockbusters MORE

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Fed Cup Winners: US, Russia, Italy, Czechs; Ivanovic Goes 0-3

SUNDAY, FEB. 6 -Melanie Oudin’s slump is over. The American teen closed out the US shutout of France by besting Julie Coin 7-6, 6-4, giving the visiting team a slight upset on clay. French captain Nicolas Escude decided not to play a nervous Alize Cornet after her implosion in her loss to Bethanie Mattek on Saturday, but Coin failed no better against the ambitious Oudin. “I was a bit nervous and she was serving great, but as the match advanced I got more and more confident and I'm obviously thrilled that I was able to allow the US to go to the semis," Oudin said.
The US will face Russia, who overcame another poor performance by Ana Ivanovic, who went 0-3 at home. Former No. 1 Ivanovic failed to win a set during the weekend, falling to Svetlana Kuznetsova on day one, and then after Jelena Jankovic came through over Kuznetsova 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, Ivanovic went down to Alisa Kleybanova 6-2, 6-3, and then in the doubles, teamed with her rival Jankovic against Kleybanova/ Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-4. Who knows how far down Ivanovic will go from here.
Holder Italy beat Ukraine 4-1 when Flavia Pennetta pulled off a huge win over Alona Bondarenko 7-5, 7-6, and then Francesca Schiavone took a 2-6, 6-1, 6-1 victory over Kateryna Bondarenko. Itali will play the Czechs, who pushed past Germany 3-2 when the duo of Lucie Hradecka and Kveta Peschke took out Germans Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Tatjana Malek 6-1, 6-3 in the deciding rubber.

US Fences in France; Other Three Fed Cup Ties at 1-1

SATURDAY, FEB. 6 - Just as suspected, captain Mary Joe Fernandez’s more mentally tough squad was able to overcome a fragile French team on the first day of Fed Cup on Saturday.
Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who had been playing excellent overall ball in Australia and was match tough after competing in all three competitions, edged out a constantly anxious Alize Cornet 7-6(7), 7-5. Then Melanie Oudin, who has been seriously struggled, regained a part of the form that made her a summer 2009 sensation when she took a 6-4, 6-4 win over Pauline Parmentier, giving the US a 2-0 lead. Credit Fernandez for coaching Oudin out of a four- month slump, and throw at least a little blame at French captain Nicolas Escude, who, like a number of others, has been unable to convince former top-20 player Cornet that she’s still a high level athlete.
The once promising Cornet, who hasn’t won a live rubber in five ties, was unable to covert four set points in the first set. "I was really nervous when coming on the court. I guess I take things too much to heart. I felt like I was petrified by the stress," she said.
In Serbia, Ana Ivanovic once again couldn’t get it done, but Jelena Jankovic, who had been complaining about an injury, came through with flying colors against Russia. Svetlana Kuznetsova blasted Ivanovic 6-1, 6-4, but Jankovic outlasted the talented yet out of shape Alisa Kleybanova 4-6, 6-4, 6-0. Jankovic will likely have to come up huge again on Sunday if Serbia is to win the home tie.
Italy and Ukraine are level at 1-1, when Alona Bondarenko smoked Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-4 but her Ukrainian sister, Kateryna Bondarenko went down to Flavia Pennetta 7-5, 6-3. That one is a toss-up too. The Czech Republic and Germany are also 1-1, as Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld beat up Lucie Safarova 6-2 ,6-2, and then Czech Petra Kvitova's came though 6-4, 6-4 over Andrea Petkovic. In World Group II, Australia and Spain are 1-1 as Sam Stosur and Anabel Medina posted victories. Canada bested Uruguay to earn a World II spot.

Fed Cup Preview: US in With Shot; Russia, Italy Czechs Other Favorites

FRIDAY, FEB. 5 - Who would have thought that the under-womaned US Fed Cup team would travel to France to play at the Stade Couvert Regional de Lievin on clay and actually appear to have a better team without the Williams sisters? But that will be the case when the two squads face off this coming weekend, as US captain Mary-Jo Fernandez has two singles players – Melanie Oudin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands – who are just as good if not better than Alize Cornet and Pauline Parmentier , and has a doubles player, Liezel Huber, who is by far the class of the competitors. As good as Cornet was in 2008, she’s never won a Fed Cup live rubber, and Parmentier is a middle of the road player at best. Oudin has been stressing out since the US Open and is also a question mark, but Mattek has been playing very well since her return in January. “The match-ups are tough, it’s pretty even. The matches can go either way, but hopefully our team will be a bit mentally tougher,” Fernandez said.
Serbia will play in front of a packed house in Belgrade, but neither Ana Ivanovic not Jelena Jankovic have been anywhere near at the top of their games this year so they’ll be hard-pressed to take out powerhouse Russia, even playing at home. Ivanovic will take on Roland Garros champion Svetlana Kuznetsova in the opening singles rubber, as the Russian made a last minute decision to rejoin the team. Ivanovic really needs the win and has played well at home, but she’s had a tough time keeping her nerves settled over the last year and half. Then Jankovic, who has been injured, will face Alisa Kleybanova, who continues to improve and who gave Justine Henin hell in Australia. Even playing away, the Russians have to be favored.

It’s nice to see the Ukraine hosting a notable tie, but the Bondarenko sisters will have a real tussle against defending champs Italy, which is once again led by Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone. Alona Bondarenko, who had a terrific Aussie Open, will take on Francesca Schiavone and then Kateryna Bondarenko will go up against Pennetta. However, according to Nick Lester on Fedcup.com, inclement weather meant that the flight carrying all but two of Italian team to Kharkiv was forced to divert and land in Kiev, and then they were forced to take an eight-hour bus trip. Due to lost luggage, Schiavone had to put up with three days of practice without her own rackets and shoes.
The Czechs will host Germany in Brno behind veteran Lucie Safarova and Petra Kvitova. Safarova will face Anna-Lena Groenefeld while Kvitova takes on the improving Andrea Petkovic.
Winners in Zagreb were Cilic, Melzer, Berrer and Troicki, while in South Africa, Monfils, Ferrer, Felciano Lopez and Robert all won.


Closing Notes: Murray's Lack of Offense

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, SUNDAY, JAN. 29 – Andy Murray may end winning a handful of Grand Slam titles, but he had better come to the table with a lot more weapons if he’s going to best the likes of a gutsy Roger Federer in a Slam final. Such was the consensus after the Swiss’ a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(11) victory over Murray in the Aussie Open final. Murray, whose backhand is his greatest weapon, only registered six winners in that department and rarely ventured to net. He didn’t cut loose on his forehand side until too late in the match and came nowhere near serving as big or as effectively as he did in wins over John Isner, Rafa Nadal and Marin Cilic.
“The best player with biggest weapons usually wins,” said Tennis Channel analyst Justin Gimelstob. “The best offense usually beats the best defense. It’s in Federer’s comfort zone to play great and he’s won 16 Slams and Murray was trying to win his first. Murray can win playing the wrong way against a lot of guys, but not against Federer in the final. He needs more repetitions as an offensive player so he can get used to playing like that in big matches. He doesn’t have the memory of executing his offense in the big moments.”
Former Wimbledon champ Pat Cash agreed: “Just hitting the ball back and forth hard isn’t going to get it done against Federer. You have to mix it up and find a way to get short balls and take him out of comfort zone. But that’s not easy.”

Bob and Mike Bryan had had a hellacious time against Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic over the past year, enmeshed in a five match losing streak, so they decided to switch returning courts in the final and it paid off in a 6 3, 6 7 (5), 6 3 victory. “We thought we would try something different,” said Mike. “They've kind of had our number. Last year they beat us in a lot of finals. We decided to throw a new look at them. We used to play like that early in our career. We've had some experience doing it. Our first time in a Grand Slam final playing that way, but it seemed to help. They served extremely big. It's a little easier to take the inside out backhand cross court than trying to pull a big one. So that could be the way of the future.” It was the twin’s eighth Slam title and fourth Down Under. They are still four majors behind the Woodies
The savvy and quick team of Cara Black/Leander Paes beat Ekaterina Makarova/Jaroslav Levinsky 7-5, 6-3. Both Black and Paes could give just about anyone on tour a volleying clinic. It was their second mixed Slam title together.
Brazil has been in search a standout players since Guga Kuerten retired and South America’s largest nation may have found one in Tiago Fernandes, who won the Australian Open boys’ championship by besting Australian wildcard Sean Berman 7-5, 6-3.Another 17-year-old, Czech Karolina Pliskova, took out 16-year-old British sensation Laura Robson 6-1 7-6(5) for the girls title.
Justine Henin said that her next tournament will be the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in March. She has yet to be given a wild card bit it’s hard to see her not being offered one.
Serena Williams says she’ll open up a second school in Kenya during March, presumably during the Indian Wells tournament., She’s planning on teaching a class either in math (‘I’m really good at it’) or English.

Nadal Out for 4 Weeks

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, FRIDAY, JAN. 29 – Andy Murray has said for a long time that he thinks that he can get under Roger Federer’s skin on court and now he’ll get another chance at the great Swiss at a major when he faces the 15-time Slam champ in the Aussie Open final. On Friday night, Federer delivered a huge beat down of Jo Tsonga 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.

A British man hasn’t won a major since Fred Perry outlasted Don Budge in the 1936 US Open final, so obviously, Wimbledon nation is salivating over Murray’s prospects. Federer, who is from a country, Switzerland, that wasn’t exactly brimming with tennis prospects until he got there, joked, “ “I know he'd like to win the first for British tennis in... what is it ... like 150,000 years. The poor guy has to go through those moments over and over again. He's done tremendously. We match up well. I'm looking forward to the final." MORE

Murray Clips Cilic to Reach Final
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, THURSDAY, JAN. 28–Cilic down and now only Federer or Tsonga to go. Andy Murray moved one step closer to his first Slam title by taking down the game yet tired Marin Cilic 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the semis. In another cool-headed and hot-handed performance, the Scot played much more aggressively in the final three sets, even going so far as to hit a screaming forehand winner in between the net post and umpire’s chair in the final game that had the fans leaping out of their chairs in a amazement. MORE

Bryans Upset With Snoozing Leconte
During an Australian Channel 7 broadcast of the Bryan Brothers third set tiebreaker win over Eric Butorac/Andy Ram on Tuesday night, the former French player Henri Leconte pretended to fall asleep, which didn’t please the twins. “We’re a little disappointed and it’s unfortunate when a commentator has to be negative when we are trying our guts out, it’s big serving tennis and the points can be short,” said Mike Bryan, who with his brother Bob reached the Aussie Open semis. MORE

Same As it Ever Was: Federer Downs Pissed off Davydenko
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27–In strange yet telling match, Roger Federer overcame an extremely sluggish start before advancing to the his 23rd straight Slam semi with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, 7-5 victory over the once red-hot Nikolay Davydenko. MORE

Nadal Injures Knee Again; Retires Against Brilliant Murray MORE

Relaxed Yet Intense: Henin Finding Balance, to Meet Zheng in Semis MORE

Perfect Men's Quarters Set: Fed v. Davydenko, Tsonga v. Djokovic

Serena Smothers Sam, Venus to Face Li

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, MONDAY, JAN. 25– It took eight days to settle it, but one of the quarterfinals that’s everyone been waiting for is on, as Roger Federer and Nikolay Davydenko both won their fourth round matches on Monday, with the Swiss is near-perfect form and the Russian struggling mightily, and will meet in the quarters.
Federer extended his winning streak against Aussie Lleyton Hewitt to 15 matches by with a devastating 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 triumph, while Davydenko finally got his day on Laver Arena and outlasted Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 7-5, 4-6, 6-7, 6-3. The 28-year-old Russian took down Federer and Rafa Nadal to win the Qatar before arriving in Melbourne and also beat them both in wining the ATP World Finals. MORE

TODAY'S MINI SCOOP: TR.net has learned that both Serena Williams and Venus Williams have turned down offers to play the US' Fed Cup tie v. France in 12 days time, even though Serena is scheduled to play the Paris Indoors the following week and owns an apartment in Paris. Instead, the sisters are said to going to an NFL meeting in Miami. They own small shares of the Miami Dolphins.

Tsonga Tries to Regain Elite Status

Venus in Search of Higher Level

Hewitt v. Bagman Revisited,
Venus to Face Dellacqua

FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, THURSDAY, JAN. 21– This time, they may start their match at dawn. Lleyton Hewitt survived the flashy young American Donald Young 7-6, 6-4, 6-1, setting up rematch of his 2008 marathon match with Marcos Baghdatis, who overcame David Ferrer 4-6, 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-1. Hewitt and Baghdatis' last meeting at the Aussie Open finished at 4:34 a.m. -- the tournament's latest ever finish. MORE

A Jewel of a Justine Victory
FROM THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN, WEDNESDAY, JAN. 20–She yelled, she danced, she charged and she scalded one ball after another. Justine Henin sent out the biggest smoke signal so far that she’s serious threat to win another Australian Open when she survived No. 5 Elena Dementieva 7-5, 7-6 (6) in the second round. MORE

Safina Just Wants to Have Fun,
Roddick Pulls Through MORE

Let the New Grand Slam Decade
Begins Down Under MORE

AO Draws Out: Clijsters, Henin in Sam 1/4; Same With Nadal & Murray

MORE

Wrap: Week of Nov. 30-Dec. 6 MORE
Wrap: Week of Nov. 22-29 MORE
Wrap: Week of Nov. 9-15 MORE
Wrap: Week of Nov. 2-8 MORE
WRAP: WEEKS OF OCT. 26-NOV. 1 MORE
WRAP: WEEKS OF OCT. 18-25 MORE
WRAP: WEEKS OF OCT. 11-17 MORE
WRAP: WEEK OF OCT. 5-11 MORE
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WRAP: WEEK OF SEPT. 26 MORE