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Injured Serena Williams out of Paris Indoor Open

World number one Serena Williams has pulled out of next week’s Paris Indoor Open, due to a leg injury, organisers said here on Saturday.
Williams sustained the injury during her victory in the Australian Open.
The American won the Paris trophy twice in five appearances in 1999 and 2003.

Zheng finds out size not a problem

Being thrashed by former world No 1 Justine Henin 6-1, 6-0 in the Australian Open semifinals in Melbourne showed China’s Zheng Jie not only the gap between herself and the world’s elite but also that smaller women can dominate the game too.
“I have given up on the idea of growing taller but playing against Henin, I realized that a player of moderate height can also play good tennis,” said the 1.64m Zheng on the sidelines of the celebration party held by the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on Wednesday.
“Henin is slim and not very tall but plays strong tennis. I should work hard toward it as well. Of course, I have to make more of an effort than others.”
In a sport where height can play a huge role in success, the petite Zheng was never regarded as a “real” tennis prodigy, but the 26-year-old has proven herself to be one of the big names in China by repeatedly making breakthroughs.
In 2004, she became the first Chinese player to reach the last 16 at the French Open. Two years later, she and partner Yan Zi were crowned Grand Slam doubles champions at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
She had stellar season in 2008 as she rebounded from injury-marred 2007 to reach her first Grand Slam singles semifinal, at Wimbledon, before being beaten by Serena Williams 6-2, 7-6 (5).
To achieve even better results, Zheng changed her serve during winter training sessions last year with renowned American coach Nick Bollettieri and the efforts have paid off.
“For anyone who has played tennis for 20 years, any change of technique is a big challenge but I think it was worth it for me to do that,” Zheng told China Daily. “The coach not only helped me in serving but also gave me confidence.
“He always told me ‘you like to play the key points very much and you can do very well in the key point’, which boosted my confidence. Although he only worked with me for about 10 days, he followed each of my matches on TV or the internet and emailed me after each one. At the end of each message he always wrote that I could play even better. I’m very grateful to him.”
Zheng boasts a powerful baseline game and sharp play at the net but had struggled with weak and inconsistent serves, which she feels prevented her from moving higher in the rankings.
Her determination to improve that facet of her game has won her a lot of respect from those who work with her.
“Zheng has no great physical advantages but her hardworking spirit has impressed me very much,” Chen Fangcan, who has helped Zheng with physical therapy, told China Daily. “In order to change her serve she had had to strengthen her leg and waist muscles. The practice is very tough but she manages to do it all the time. Her fighting spirit is the key to her success.”
Reaching the semis at Melbourne Park – with compatriot Li Na, Zheng, whose highest world ranking is 15, has broken into the top 20 again and now the next steps are to reach a Grand Slam final and win the crown.
“Those last two steps towards winning a Grand Slam will be very difficult and require even harder work,” Zheng said.
“If we can reach more quarters and semis in those competitions we will be more confident in our matches. Reaching the semis for the second time, I have got much more belief in myself. I know I can do that.”
Zheng is now recovering from a pulled thigh muscle and may be absent from China’s first-round Fed Cup match in Slovakia this weekend.
Her next competition is likely to be the Dubai Championships, which start on Feb 15.

We do not claim a cent of Li or Zheng’s prizemoney: says Sun

China’s tennis chief, Sun Jinfang, said the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA) did not make a cent from Australian Open semifinalists Li Na and Zheng Jie and the other self-managed players and used their contributions to support the nation’s youth players.

The top four Chinese women players, who include Li and Zheng, left the state-support system to manage their own careers at the end of 2008, thanks to a groundbreaking “flying away” move. According to the contract reached between the players and the CTA, they still have to give eight percent of the prizemoney on the WTA tour or 12 percent of their marketing profits to the association. Previously, the portion was as high as 65 percent.
“The CTA does not want a cent from the players. The money they gave us previously went towards tennis development in China and is now being used to help young players train and develop,” said Sun (pictured) during a party on Wednesday organized by the WTA tour to celebrate Li and Zheng’s semifinal appearances at the Australian Open last month.
Sun revealed most of the self-managed players stopped giving money to the CTA after the move. Surprisingly, Sun, who used to take a tough line on the money issue and once blasted world No 51 Peng Shuai for complaining about handing over too much, said with a smile she and the CTA did not intend to push the players to handover earnings.
“It’s up to them (to give or not) and we will never push them to do that although we know how much prizemoney they earn from the WTA tour. As for the marketing profits, they just gave me a figure.
“The reason for having such an item (concerning giving money to CTA) in their contracts is that we hope they can show gratitude and return something to the sport.”
Li and Zheng received cheques amounting to almost 2.5 million yuan (US$360,000) each for reaching the last four at Melbourne Park.
Sun also lavished praise on Li and Zheng and put them in the same class as national sporting heroes Yao Ming and Liu Xiang.
“NBA, track and field and tennis are all mainstream sports. Li and Zheng’s success has put China firmly on the world tennis map. Their achievements are equivalent to what Yao (basketball) and Liu (hurdles) have done.”
Sun also took a bow for enacting the “flying away” move against “doubts, risks and pressure”.
“You can’t imagine the pressure and risks we faced since enacting that move,” Sun told China Daily. “There were many doubts when we introduced the move in 2008.”
The tennis chief said the initiative would serve as a model for other Chinese sports teams on the road to “professionalization”.
“I think it can work for other sports in China,” she said. “At the athletic level, sport in China is very strong but at the professional level it is poor.
“What we did in tennis could be an example of how to boost professional sports in China.”

Northern Trust Open PGA golf tournament starts 1st round


Stewart Cink tees off on the twelfth hole during the first round of the Northern Trust Open PGA golf tournament at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles February 4, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Mickelson removes Ping wedge, opposes groove rule

Phil Mickelson has decided to leave his controversial Ping wedge out of his bag for this week’s Northern Trust Open but he remains totally opposed to the new grooves rule introduced this year.

Golfer Phil Mickelson of the U.S. answers questions at a news conference before the Northern Trust Open PGA golf tournament at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles February 3, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
Mickelson was among a handful of players who used the 20-year-old Ping-Eye 2 wedge with square grooves at last week’s San Diego Open, prompting an accusation by fellow American Scott McCarron that he had been ‘cheating’.
Under United States Golf Association (USGA) rules implemented on Jan. 1, square or U-grooves have been outlawed but the Ping wedge is deemed legal because of a lawsuit won by its manufacturer over the USGA in 1990.
“I like and respect these (PGA Tour) players out here,” Mickelson told reporters on the eve of Thursday’s opening round at Riviera Country Club.
“Out of respect for them, I do not want to have an advantage over anybody, whether it’s perceived or actual. So this week I won’t be playing that wedge. My point has been made.
“But if these governing bodies cannot get together to fix this loophole, if players stop using this wedge which would stop the pressing of the issue, then I will relook at it and put the wedge back in play.”
The new rules relating to club-face grooves were implemented after research found modern configurations could allow players to generate almost as much spin with irons from the rough as from the fairway.
All clubs, with the exception of drivers and putters, have been affected by the change, which limits groove volume and groove-edge sharpness, effectively replacing U-grooves with V-grooves.
CONSISTENT CRITIC
Three-times major winner Mickelson, who is renowned for his short game, has been a consistent critic of the change.
“It was a ridiculous rule change and even worse timing,” the 39-year-old said.
“It’s cost manufacturers millions of dollars. It continues to cost them money as we now have to hire people to scan, document and store data of every groove on every single club.
“It was unnecessary … and the arbitrary judgment of one (USGA) man can take a conforming club and rule it non-conforming based on his emotion.
“This lack of transparency has got to change. It’s killing the sport. It’s killing the manufacturers and the players.”
Mickelson added: “This rule change is great for me, but that doesn’t mean it’s right. You have to remove yourself as a player and decide what is this good for the game.”
The world number two, bidding this week for an unprecedented third successive victory at Riviera, said he had received an apology from McCarron the previous night.
“We all make mistakes and we all say things we wish we could take back,” Mickelson said. “It’s also not easy to come up and face that person, look them in the eye and apologise.
“He did that and was very sincere and I accepted the apology. I appreciate him being a big enough man to do that.”

Celebration for China’s tennis victory

 

China’s Li Na and Zheng Jie pose for photos with China Tennis Assoction (CTA) chief Sun Jinfang during an event to celebrate the pair’s success in reaching the Australian Open tennis women’s singles semi-finals, in Beijing February 3, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]

Barbie unveils Kim Clijsters’ lookalike at toy fair

Kim Clijsters’ lookalike sports the same tennis kit, golden hair and blue racquet as the U.S. Open champion but her backhand is somewhat stiffer.

Kim Clijsters of Belgium pauses during a press conference after she lost to Nadia Petrova of Russia in a Women’s singles third round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Friday Jan. 22, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
That’s because she is a doll — the first Barbie to commemorate a female athlete, unveiled at the world’s largest toy fair in the German city of Nuremberg on Wednesday.
Clijsters, 26, was hailed as the poster girl for working mums around the world last year when she became the first mother to win a grand slam singles title since Evonne Goolagong triumphed at Wimbledon in 1980.
 
Mattel , the world’s No. 1 toymaker, said it also unveiled a doll of Clijsters’ daughter Jada, sporting the same outfit she wore for the U.S. Open finals.
“I am…deeply honoured and humbled as I today join the ranks of iconic women who represent Barbie’s aspirational value,” the Belgian former world number one said in a statement.
“My family means everything to me, so I was really excited when I found out that Jada would also received her very own Jada Barbie doll.”
Mattel, which last year celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Barbie doll with a string of glamorous parties, also unveiled dolls representing the heiress to Sweden’s throne, Crown Princess Victoria, and Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

Murray ready to play mixed doubles event at London Olympics

Andy Murray revealed he would like the chance to play mixed doubles with Laura Robson at the 2012 Olympics in London after playing alongside the talented teenager at the Hopman Cup in Perth.

Andy Murray of Britain poses for a photograph with the Union Jack after a practice session in Melbourne January 30, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters, File Photo)
Murray admitted his ambition after he teamed up with the 15-year-old to help Great Britain claim a closely-fought 2-1 victory over Kazakhstan in their opening tie at the mixed teams event.
The pair had never played, or even trained, alongside each other until they stepped on court at the Burswood Dome to play their mixed doubles rubber with the tie level at a match apiece.
Despite that their partnership brought immediate rewards as they edged a tense battle against Andrey Golubev and Yaroslava Svedona 6-2 5-7 (12-10) in a third-set tiebreaker.

Serena stays No. 1, Li into top 10

Australian Open champions Roger Federer and Serena Williams will maintain their No. 1 spots when new ATP and WTA rankings are released today.
Federer, who beat Britain’s Andy Murray in the Australian Open men’s final in straight sets yesterday, will begin his 268th week as No. 1 and match Jimmy Connors, currently in third place, for total number of weeks as world No. 1.
Pete Sampras leads the career list with 286 weeks at No. 1, followed by Ivan Lendl with 270.
ATP projections have Novak Djokovic taking over No. 2, Murray third and injured Rafael Nadal dropping to No. 4. It marks the first time that Nadal will drop out of the world’s top three since his debut there in June 2005.
Nadal has been cleared of a recurrence of the knee tendinitis that sidelined him for nine weeks last year. A small muscle tear sustained at the Australian Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Murray, will keep him out for the next month.
There will be movement on the women’s side, with Li Na becoming the first Chinese player ever to enter the top 10 when she reaches a career-high No. 10 following her semifinal run in Melbourne.
Li said after her quarterfinal win over Venus Williams that her goal was the top 10, but she may have to revise her expectations higher. “So exciting, maybe I will have a beer tonight,” said Li, who lost in the semifinals to Serena Williams. “My goal this year was top 10, but it’s only January, and it’s come quickly.”
Justine Henin, who was unranked and playing on a wildcard entry at her first major in two years, still needs to play another tournament before she gets an official ranking.
Serena Williams, who beat Henin in Saturday’s Australian Open final, has extended her current stretch at No. 1 to 15 weeks. Projections provided by the WTA show she will begin her 88th career week as the top-ranked player.
Dinara Safina is projected to be No. 2, followed by US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki at a career-high No. 3, French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova at No. 4 and Venus Williams at No. 5. Projections also show Victoria Azarenka, who lost to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals, to be No. 6, followed by Elena Dementieva at 7. It’s the first time that Olympic gold medalist Dementieva has dropped out of the top 5 since September 2008.
Jelena Jankovic is projected to be No. 8 and Aznieszka Radwanska 9.

Federer’s Haiti charity match raises $600,000

More than just a champion, Roger Federer was recognized Sunday as a humanitarian.

Switzerland’s Roger Federer reacts during a news conference after winning his men’s singles final match against Andy Murray of Britain at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January 31, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
A charity match initiated by Federer to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims has raised more than $600,000, said Tennis Australia president Geoff Pollard.
The January 12 earthquake that has killed at least 150,000 in Haiti struck three days before the start of the Australian Open.
Federer organized a mixed-doubles fundraiser on the eve of the Open that featured some of tennis’ top stars, wearing microphones on court and providing comedic commentary as they played.
Among them were Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt.
The match at the Rod Laver Arena raised about $125,000, with seats priced to sell at just under $10.
Donations poured in after that: the ATP Tour, the WTA Tour and the International Tennis Federation contributed a combined $265,000; the Grand Slam Committee gave $177,000, Pollard told the crowd on center court after Federer won his 16th Grand Slam final.
Federer beat Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (11), to win his 16th Grand Slam title and his fourth Australian Open.
Players have also donated rackets that are being auctioned on eBay and have raised almost $40,000.
“Haiti is a tragedy that has touched the hearts of the world,” Tennis Australia CEO Steve Wood said in the statement. “The tennis community just wanted to help.”
TOO MUCH INFORMATION: Andy Murray was asked why he kept touching his left hip during the championship match.
“It’s not really a problem. It’s not really my left hip. It’s quite hard to explain,” said Murray, who then went on to explain.
“I wear cycling shorts, and sometimes they’re quite tight. So you need to _ you know, Roddick does it a lot, it’s kind of what Rafa does on his other side,” he said.
Andy Roddick is known to tug at the front of his shorts and Rafael Nadal regularly pulls at the back of his shorts.
“I don’t really know what I’m trying to say, but basically my hip is fine,” Murray said, smiling. “It was just the cycling shorts were tight.”
NOW FOR THE NUMBERS: A record number of fans attended the Australian Open this year, where players ordered more than 2,000 pasta dishes and vendors sold 110,000 ice creams every day.
The two-week figure for crowd attendance was 653,860, up by nearly 50,000 from the previous record, organizers said in a statement.
China’s Li Na and Zheng Jie created history when they became the first two Chinese players to reach a Grand Slam semifinal, drawing a record number of Chinese journalists _ who were among the 1,500 media covering the event, the statement said.
British media also attended in record numbers to cover Andy Murray’s attempt to end a 74-year Grand Slam drought for British men.
The fastest serves of the tournament were recorded by Americans Taylor Dent (144 mph, or 231 kph) and Venus Williams (125 mph, or 201 kph).
A team of racket stringers strung 3,297 rackets, using close to 24 miles (40 kilometers) of string.
The Australian Open Facebook page drew 56,696 fans and nearly 10,000 followers on Twitter.