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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 29, 2008 8:02:06 GMT
Where are you Jim on the scheduling of the AO in January?
There has always been this discussion about the wisdom of having around a 5 month gap between A0 and RG.
It does rather feel like the season starts with a sudden jolt.. Then chills out for the next few months. Granted that Indian Wells and Miami are big tournaments.
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Post by jimm on Jan 29, 2008 8:39:42 GMT
Where are you Jim on the scheduling of the AO in January? There has always been this discussion about the wisdom of having around a 5 month gap between A0 and RG. It does rather feel like the season starts with a sudden jolt.. Then chills out for the next few months. Granted that Indian Wells and Miami are big tournaments. Rumours abound re the AO. There is concern it may lose it Slam status and be moved to China. But I dont think that will happen. Much easier to move it to the slot filled by Miami, which makes sense. Its warmer there in January but not too warm. Plus it would be better too have a tier 1 or 2 in January on the run up to the AO. All we have at the mo are 3 and 4's.
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Post by jimm on Jan 29, 2008 20:18:08 GMT
2009 Australian Open women's finals to be under the lights The Australian Open is set to re-schedule the women’s final as a night match from 2009, providing night play on all 14 days of the tournament. The primary reason is to satisfy TV, although it has been generally accepted that night sessions provide a better atmosphere - and the notorious Melbourne heat should not be a factor.
The 2002 final between Jennifer Capriati and Martina Hingis was played in such exhausting conditions that a stretcher was kept on standby as both players came close to collapse. Capriati won the nearly three hour match 4-6 7-6 6-2 after saving four match points."
I think the heat was the deciding factor here.
If they want to upgrade Melbourne Park, lighting for the outside courts would be a must. The heat (and rain delay) is as bad for the players there as it is in the arenas. All court lighting would allow matches to take place at night and avoid a backlog.
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 30, 2008 23:44:27 GMT
Air conditioned night matches is preferable to the present tortuous format.
Did you see the pic of Marion. She took her shoes of at the end of the match and left the court in her socks. Her tootsies must have been burning. It's no fair on players with poor heat tolerance such heavier set players, and also those of Scandinavian, Anglo Saxons, and most of all Celtic origin (us!).
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Post by jimm on Jan 30, 2008 23:57:44 GMT
Air conditioned night matches is preferable to the present tortuous format. Did you see the pic of Marion. She took her shoes of at the end of the match and left the court in her socks. Her tootsies must have been burning. It's no fair on players with poor heat tolerance such heavier set players, and also those of Scandinavian, Anglo Saxons, and most of all Celtic origin (us!). Might help the brit girls to make the Main Draw
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Post by jimm on Jan 31, 2008 0:00:27 GMT
Best Quotes from the Australian Open MELBOURNE, Australia - The tennis wasn't the only one speaking volumes this year at the Australian Open; whether they were making us believe, think or just plain laugh, the players certainly made themselves heard at their post-match press conferences. Below are some of the best quotes of the fortnight, in no particular order - enjoy! "I've proven it before. I've done it before. I don't think you can ever count me out. No matter how confident or not, no matter where my ranking is, I'm one of the toughest competitors out there. I never leave the court without giving 100% and that's why I gain respect from my fans and from the tennis audience. This is what I love to do." - Maria Sharapova, at her pre-Australian Open press conference, on her chances of winning the tournament."Never. Don't dream about it." - Justine Henin on whether or not she would ever demonstrate some hip-hop moves after one of her matches. The world No.1 has started taking lessons once a week from her fitness coach for fun and relaxation."I've always enjoyed a challenge, and it's been a huge challenge to come back after having a baby. It's been a lot of fun to try and see what I can accomplish now, being older and having my body go through a little bit of a metamorphosis. But it's been a lot of fun, because it's been so long since I've been on my way up and trying to improve and trying to go up the rankings. I missed playing, I miss the daily goal of having something to strive for. Obviously I'll be having some setbacks and didn't play well here, but overall I'm still having fun, so why not?" - Lindsay Davenport reflects on her comeback after a second round loss to Maria Sharapova."Basically the day session went longer, and the tournament asked if Sania and I would consider playing at Vodafone or playing tomorrow. Both of us didn't want to for reasons that we felt like our match was important. We also felt like we wanted the schedule to go as planned, and that we are very good players and wanted to play. Also for the fact that we were in doubles and Sania is also in mixed. So that makes it very difficult for us too. The tournament definitely listened to us and gave us the opportunity to go out there and play some great women's tennis. I think we're both happy with the result of what the tournament chose, and we played some good tennis for the crowd." - Venus Williams on the scheduling controversy from the middle weekend, where matches on Rod Laver Arena went later than planned due to rain and her match with Sania Mirza went on according to the original order of play."After winning all four Grand Slams, I kind of retired. I felt like it's time to move on and focus on my singles." - Daniela Hantuchova on why she wasn't in the mixed doubles draw. In 2005, the Slovak became the second woman in the Open Era, after Martina Navratilova, to complete the career Grand Slam in the event."In my eyes I'm representing my country all the time. I'm from India. Everyone knows I'm from India. I'm playing for my country. Yes, it's an individual sport and everything, but I think people associate us by our country. It does change a little bit when you have India written behind you and they say advantage India instead of advantage Mirza. And for me, personally it's a very proud feeling to play for my country. It's a very proud feeling when they say advantage India. I love it." - Sania Mirza on playing for her country."Since I was young girl, I've dreamt of playing matches like that. It was amazing. The crowd, the feeling, it was just so bizarre. I could feel the whole crowd. I felt Rod Laver almost vibrating because the crowd was so loud. It was awesome." - Casey Dellacqua on her third round match against Amélie Mauresmo, which she won in three sets in front of a packed night crowd."The Australian Open belongs in Australia. I can't imagine it being anywhere else. I love coming here and listening to the accent. I was always watching tennis and wanting to go to Australia and play the Australian Open. When I'm playing my video game, I'm playing in Australia. It belongs here." - Serena Williams on speculation that the Australian Open may rotate around the Asia-Pacific in the years to come."On the ATP tour, you mean? She goes more than 200kph so she's up there with the guys. She has one of the best serves in women's tennis, no doubt about that. Her and her sister. I can only give her compliments. But now if I start giving her compliments, I can keep going all day, so I have to stop." - Jelena Jankovic on Serena Williams' serve, prior to facing her in the quarters."Hey, I didn't win. I would have liked it to be different. But, unfortunately, I don't have a time machine, so I can't reverse this loss. If any of you have one, please let me know." - Venus Williams, speaking to the press, after a quarterfinal loss to Ana Ivanovic."I just love to have fun. I'm happy to live. Life is short and you have to enjoy it. I joke with every girl and am friendly with everybody. If you get into 'This girl said this, that one said that,' I'm over it. If they want say something they come to my face and say it to me. I do the same with them. I just go straight to them and I talk. That way you don't have problems with anybody." - Svetlana Kuznetsova on other players referring to her as the biggest character in the locker room."Of course it's fair. We were waiting for the men to finish their five sets. God. We should get paid more for waiting around all day long." - Maria Sharapova after being asked about the fairness of equal prize money. "She's my best friend, too. It's so important to have her on the road with me. It has been a few years now. If she wasn't with me it would be much harder. It's hard enough already being away from the rest of my family. So I always have someone to talk to, not only in my mother language but also to ask for advice. And who can give you more honest advice than your mom? She's also my biggest supporter. She never really gets upset with me. It's great because I feel like she understands me." - Ana Ivanovic on her mother, Dragana.
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Post by SuperMarion on Jan 31, 2008 0:19:18 GMT
Thanks Jim. Kuzz got the right idea. She does a cool trilby too!
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Post by jimm on Feb 2, 2008 15:35:22 GMT
Mountford leaves LTA and returns to USA Roger Draper, ceo of the LTA, reported that Bill Mountford had relinquished his duties as Head of Coach Relations and Competitions and returned to the US. Steven Martens has assumed Mountford’s duties on an interim basis.
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Post by jimm on Feb 14, 2008 22:26:13 GMT
From The TimesF ebruary 14, 2008
Plenty of passion, but anger and dejection hold court On Monday, The Times said that British tennis needs inspirational leadership from the LTA. Four key figures join the debate
Great Britain’s Davis Cup defeat in Argentina at the weekend showed not only how meagre this country’s playing resources are, but also the disparity in raw emotion and passion between Britain and other tennis-playing nations. Neil Harman, our Tennis Correspondent, wrote that it was up to the LTA to begin to inspire British tennis, something it has so far failed to do. By way of helping it with the task, Harman brought together four of the sport’s leading personalities, David Lloyd, David Felgate, Andrew Castle and Jo Durie to discuss the state of the game.
Harman You four have been involved at every level of this sport – playing, coaching, commentating and building indoor centres by the hundred. Have you been asked by anyone else to debate the state of the game?
All No.
Castle These conversations tend to happen at the bar after Davis Cup ties. I suppose I’m not one of those with an axe to grind. Different people are in charge now, they will do their thing. Why worry?
Felgate Whoa.
Durie Because we’re passionate about it. This is what I do. Tennis is my life.
Castle I love the sport, it has given me all that I have. I needed it to pay my rent for years, but now I have the luxury of part-time involvement.
Harman That’s all the rage in British tennis these days.
Lloyd I’m still deeply passionate, I want to see someone at the LTA who has the desire to do what Philippe Chatrier did in France [the former president of the French Tennis Federation created a regional and national structure and presided over a 20-year rise in registered players from 225,000 to 1.3 million and of the number of courts from 6,700 to 35,000]. I just haven’t seen that person. There is no one there driven enough to make the decisions that need to be made and not worry if it upsets people.
Let’s be honest, Andy Murray has put himself before his country and if I was in charge I wouldn’t pick him again. He’s playing in a tournament in Marseilles this week that doesn’t mean anything to anyone. The public aren’t fooled. He had extremely bad advice, he was wrong not to give it [Britain’s Davis Cup tie in Argentina] a go. I was out there dying when I played for my country and if someone is going to lead the team I play in, I want him to be prepared to die for the team. What was he thinking?
Castle And he should have made the call to the captain himself, not allowed his agent to do it.
Lloyd Brad Gilbert was a terrific choice of coach for him. I don’t know how much the LTA paid, but they bought a personal coach and that can’t be right. They have set an alarming precedent. I’ve got a young kid called Jack Carpenter at my academy and if he gets up there I’ll be asking a million quid for someone to coach him.
Felgate But, David, you will have your opinion about your player, Jo will have those on hers and that makes it difficult for a governing body in disseminating who deserves what.
Lloyd You had to make those decisions.
Felgate And they were tough. I’m happy to accept that I didn’t get everything right. After coaching Tim [Hen-man], some people believed I wasn’t cut out to be a performance director and British tennis needs the right people in the right positions. There is a sense of disquiet and I shoulder some of the blame for that. It cannot be right for a sport when people are worried about who is saying what to whom, conspiracy theories are around every corner, especially when we’re all so passionate to see this succeed.
Harman We all want to be involved in a vibrant, inspirational sport. The clubs would be full of kids, positive stories would abound. Can the present LTA achieve that?
Lloyd I’ve been saying this for longer than I dare to remember, but tennis should be seen as a big wheel, with the strength and the focus at the rim, not the centre. Head office should be a monitoring system and I’m a believer in more self-governed, semi-independent people away from the centre.
People have said I’m an autocratic businessman, but the opposite is the case. I empowered those who worked for me, but if they ballsed up they were out. That’s business. The centre sets the budget, they fill the boxes, they set the objectives and it is up to those they employ to do the job. I set out these plans to previous LTA regimes, I even filled the boxes with the right names for those jobs, and they have just gone about it all wrong.
Eventually, you wonder if it is all worth it. The British public aren’t stupid. Who is best suited to run British tennis? I am. Who could do it? I could. The president [Stuart Smith] came around to my house and implored me to be involved and the next thing I get a call telling me he’s appointed someone called [Roger] Draper.
I don’t need the money – all I know is that I could help the game and yet I’m pushed aside and it is made impossible for me to help. It’s never going to change.
Castle Oh heavens, I’m getting heated now. I didn’t know all this.
Durie I’ll tell you something, Andrew, tennis is a nasty business these days. I’m pretty disillusioned. I’m working with young players, having to deal on a daily basis with their parents. There’s an intensity that makes me very uncomfortable. There is no trust or loyalty. Everyone is out for the best deal they can get and tennis is taking a back seat. It takes time to build a tennis player and yet everyone wants instant success.
Harman David, you’ve accepted LTA funding for your academy. Do you agree with Jo’s description?
Lloyd Absolutely. I’ve had parents coming to me saying: “I can get a better deal at Bisham Abbey.” And my response is: “P*** off to Bisham Abbey then.” I would have five academies strategically placed across the country, all funded equally. Given certain guidelines, those employed in these academies would have the power to make their own decisions. Head office would subsidise these clubs, and the professional directors in them, and they would be left to build up their own marketplace.
Golf professionals learn how to put on tournaments, deal with handicaps, mend broken clubs, hold barbecues, have kids’ days – they interact with the local population. My old club, Westcliff Hard Courts, still does and it is thriving. It still produces most of the best players in Essex. Kids love it.
Harman What worries me is that the LTA is infatuated with targets – this many players in the top 100, that many juniors with an ITF ranking. David, when you were director of performance, weren’t you asked to provide targets for a document that would be sent to Sport England [which was run by Draper at the time] as a lever for funding?
Felgate Yes, but whether that was because of a request from Sport England or because the LTA felt obliged to offer targets as evidence of our ambitions, I don’t know.
Durie All these junior rankings are a misnomer and make our jobs more difficult. Parents become paranoid that their child’s ETA [European Tennis Association] ranking isn’t high enough, that we’re not doing our jobs right. I am trying to instil into these kids what it takes to lead a professional lifestyle. It is not about what happens next weekend, but what happens in five years’ time that matters. Outside influences are so huge these days.
Lloyd When we launched the Slater scheme with Reed’s School in 1984, it was a ground-breaker. Paul Hutchins [who returned to the LTA last year as head of men’s tennis] told me nine years old was far too young to be selecting kids. But I had the pick of the best nine-year-olds in the country. It was such a successful scheme that the next thing you know the LTA had opened Bisham Abbey and were doing exactly the same. Now we have a situation where there are too many schemes and not enough kids. And, as Jo says, everyone wants more and more.
Harman What about the LTA’s treatment of juniors who went off the rails a bit? Two players were suspended for inappropriate appearances on Bebo and another sent home from the Australian Open.
Castle I can relate to that. Remember my “No to the Poll Tax” placard at the British nationals a few years back? I was called into a boardroom and was accused of a heinous crime, the LTA fined me half my prize-money and banned me from the old European Cup. I was a 25-year-old pro. These kids did not need to be slapped down in public. Some of the stuff they displayed is what is needed for a sportsman to succeed, a touch of arrogance, pushing the boundaries. There is only one chance to succeed at this, but they need a guide. And they have to be there the whole time, not part-time.
Harman Do we need a £40 million National Tennis Centre [NTC]?
Lloyd That is a serious, serious amount of money. I could have built five centres, all of them better than the NTC, for half the price. I’m building one in Dubai right now and I’m upset because it’s going to cost £12 million.
The panel of professionals
David Lloyd Former Davis Cup player and captain, 60. When he opened his first racket club in Heston, Middlesex, in 1981, there were 74 indoor courts in Britain. Now there are 1,400. Lloyd’s independent scheme, the first in Britain, was launched in 1984 and used Reed’s School in Cobham, Surrey, as its base. There, Tim Henman was discovered. A famed entrepreneur who runs his own tennis academies, three in Britain with another to open in Dubai this year.
David Felgate Former under18 national champion who went to work for the LTA under Billy Knight in 1993, the director of men’s tennis at the time, who put him in charge of a four-man squad that included a novice Tim Henman. Felgate, 44, coached Henman for nine years and became the LTA’s director of performance until he was dismissed by the present regime two years ago and now coaches Naomi Cavaday, one of the country’s most promising teenagers.
Jo Durie British No 1 for most of her career, she reached the semi-finals at the French Open and US Open in 1983. A quarter-finalist at the Australian Open in 1983 and at Wimbledon in 1984, when she beat a young Steffi Graf, her career-high singles ranking was No 5. Partnering Jeremy Bates, she won the Wimbledon mixed doubles in 1987 and the Australian Open in 1991. Now 47, she coaches at Hazelwood Tennis & Squash Club in North London and commentates for Eurosport.
Andrew Castle Former British No 1 and national champion, completed an MBA on an athletic scholarship in the United States and returned to Britain with a feisty attitude and a vibrant personality. Was ranked at No 80 in singles and No 45 in doubles. After retiring in 1992, commentated on tennis and golf for BSkyB before becoming a regular presenter on GMTV. The 44-year-old commentates for the BBC on Wimbledon and the Davis Cup. Words by Neil Harman
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Post by jimm on Feb 18, 2008 7:28:01 GMT
From The TimesFebruary 18, 2008
ITF tells LTA to stop making a racket over Davis Cup
Neil Harman, Tennis Correspondent
It takes a lot to get beneath the skin of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) - an organisation that tends to be beaten up for its undemonstrative ways by bolder, brasher boys in the tennis playground. But something said by one of the leading figures of the sport in Britain this week got its goat to the extent that it chose to come out and speak its mind as it has rarely done before.
What incensed the ITF were comments by Roger Draper, the chief executive of the LTA, who, when asked to discuss Great Britain's defeat by Argentina in the Davis Cup this month, was moved to say: “We have enough problems sorting out British tennis without worrying about world tennis, but I think it would be good to get it sorted out. My personal view is that it would be fantastic if we could make the Davis Cup like the [football] World Cup, and stage it every two or four years at a single venue and make it a really big festival.”
It is not that Draper was saying anything particularly earth-shattering, for there are many siren voices who insist on “modernising” a 108-year-old championship, but that Britain, as one of the four pillar nations that profit in millions from staging a grand-slam tournament, ought not to lecture on the business of tennis's umbrella organisation, whose remit is to spread the sport's message and the largesse it generates to as many corners of the globe as it can.
“I don't know whether it was a smokescreen to divert attention from the result of the tie in Argentina, but when executives of national associations criticise a competition like the Davis Cup, they should do it in the proper forums,” Juan Margets, executive vice-president of the ITF and chairman of the Davis Cup committee, said.
“Politics happens every day, of course, but there is a code for this kind of debate, especially when it is from one of the very privileged nations who have ownership of one of the biggest events in tennis. We know that the future of Davis Cup is very important but the feelings that have been expressed are not, unless I have missed something, those shared by Wimbledon.”
This rap across the knuckles for Draper follows months of patient negotiation between the ITF and the ATP, the governing body of men's tennis, over the prospective reshaping of the Davis Cup in terms of where its dates should be placed in a horribly congested calendar and whether ranking points should be granted to participants, the first time that such a radical step would be taken.
In the midst of this, there have been suggestions that it might be presented in a new format altogether, as an event that has blocks of qualifying matches for a grand finale that would occupy a month at the end of every year, two years or four years.
The ITF is sitting back and waiting for a thorough proposal, both costed and backed with sponsorship and television support, which would make such a plan viable from both a financial and performance perspective. It has been a long, fruitless wait.
It points out that the home and away element of the competition is what sustains its viability, especially for those national associations far less well off than the LTA. As Margets, a Spaniard, said: “Over 500,000 people attend Davis Cup ties every year and from our experience, these are not the typical people who might be seen or want to be seen at a regular tour event. And this is the only event where people from a lot of different nations would ever see high-calibre tennis in the flesh.”
As with any individual sport, the desire to play for your country is a deeply personal decision. Roger Federer, a 12-time grand-slam champion, has chosen to miss those ties involving Switzerland earlier in the year, stepping back into the competition in the autumn to help to preserve their world group status. Andy Murray's decision to miss the recent tie in Argentina, citing an injury and the need to enhance his ranking, inspired intense debate.
From next year, at the players' behest, ranking points will be on offer for the Davis Cup and the dates being offered - the week before the Indian Wells tournament next March, the week after Wimbledon, and the week after the US Open - are precisely what the players wanted. Margets does not carry his entire committee with him on the ranking points issue, but believes that its merit outweighs any negative arguments. "
I dont like Draper and think he is more of a liabilty than an asset. As soon as he was in the post, he upset Anne Keothavong talking about "Underachvievers." Because Draper had some success at Sport England, it does not follow he will do the same in for British Tennis.
The difference is that Draper suddenly had a lot of money to play with, money that his predecessors never had. The improvement in British tennis is due to the players, and most of them did it with the minimum input from theLTA.
In short, the would have done it whether Draper was there or not.
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Post by SuperMarion on Feb 18, 2008 22:20:09 GMT
oh, ok. But wasnt that a criticism made of all British players who were 'content' to sit in the 2, 3, 4, hundred comfortzone?
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Post by jimm on Feb 19, 2008 0:43:18 GMT
oh, ok. But wasnt that a criticism made of all British players who were 'content' to sit in the 2, 3, 4, hundred comfortzone? But there were no players who were content to do that Alice. Simply, the funding was not there for them in the past! The LTA were so so slow in getting their act together. If our players had the funding 2 or 3 years ago they would be in the top 100 by now without the "input" of Mr. Draper. Tennis in the UK has always been and still is regarded as an "elistist" sport. And that sadly is true to a large extent. Players who come from wealthy families have no problem with finance. But those less fortunate have to try and get sponsors or endorsments. Making noises and waving a big stick and talking tripe is all that Draper seems capable of. The LTA made the worst possible choice in his appointment, and I hope it does not come back to haunt us.
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Post by jimm on Feb 27, 2008 11:27:26 GMT
Tennis girl banned for grunting Article from: The Daily Telegraph
By Sam Edmund
February 26, 2008 12:00am
A GIRL has been banned from playing tennis by her local club because she grunts too loudly.
Lauryn Edwards, 9, was told at the weekend that she could no longer play her beloved sport after a complaint from an opposition player a fortnight ago.
The club informed Lauryn's stunned parents Duncan and Ruth the grunting had become too much.
Mr Edwards described the ban as pathetic and has contacted Tennis Australia for advice.
Was the club right to ban her for grunting? Vote now
He said his daughter's grunting had been exaggerated.
"It's pretty slight and now and again she hits hard and makes a loud noise and that's it," he said.
"From just one comment this has all blown up stupidly. There's no rule against it - so they've made a rule against it."
He said the Mount Carmel Tennis Club, 30km north of Melbourne, had asked him for an assurance Lauryn would remain silent on the court.
"They told me to guarantee she won't grunt or she can't play," Mr Edwards said.
"How can I guarantee that? She's been doing it since she was really little. She's her own person.
"What do they want me to do? Put Band-Aids over her mouth? They made her cry on the court when they told her. She was in such a state I had to bring her home mid-match."
Gallery special: Remember tennis' great grunters
Lauryn, who is heartbroken by the ban, has attention deficit disorder.
She has been playing tennis since the age of four after it was recommended by her school psychologist to burn energy and keep her focused.
Dubbed "Lauryn Sharapova" by a former coach, she nominates the Russian champion as her favourite tennis player.
"It feels natural to do my noise, I'm not faking it," Lauryn said.
"It makes me play better. When I don't do it I don't play my best tennis and now people have told me I can't play if I do it."
Lauryn plays for the Mount Carmel Tennis Club in the Northern Suburbs Junior Tennis Association (NSJTA).
Mount Carmel Tennis Club vice president Paul Hackett was tight-lipped yesterday.
"No comment, sorry," he said.
"No one is not allowing her to play. Sorry I can't say any more than that."
NSJTA president Russell Baldry was unaware of the issue when contacted by The Daily Telegraph.
He said it was disappointing the club had appeared to take matters into its own hands."
Funny how Seles was never banned for her racket. It was admitted she did it to put her opponets off, and the ITF/WTA let her get away with it for $ reasons
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Post by jimm on Feb 27, 2008 11:30:30 GMT
Chakvetadze survives tough opener in Dubai Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:46pm GMT By Barry Wood
DUBAI (Reuters) - Russian Anna Chakvetadze held off a strong challenge from Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska to reach the second round of the Dubai Championships with a 6-2 2-6 6-4 victory on Tuesday.
The field in Dubai is so strong that world number 19 Radwanska, a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open, needed to qualify.
"She's a tough opponent to play and I didn't have many wins outdoors this year," Chakvetadze told reporters.
"But I was aggressive and I served pretty well and I was fighting to the end, and that's why I won. We both played well and it was a good match to win because you get more confidence."
Seventh seed Marion Bartoli and former world number three Nadia Petrova continued their run of poor form as they both fell at the first hurdle.
Frenchwoman Bartoli, the 2007 Wimbledon runner-up, has won just three of eight matches this year and was beaten 6-1 6-7 6-1 by Francesca Schiavone of Italy.
Petrova's 6-4 6-4 humbling by Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik signalled her fifth first-round defeat in six tournaments this year. Srebotnik will next face top seed Justine Henin.
"I think the simple answer is that I just feel burned out," said Petrova. "It already started last year, after I got my injuries after the U.S. Open. I could hide it, I could still force myself and make myself focus and try to play my game and try to win. But this year it seems like nothing is working."
Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo has also struggled this year but the Frenchwoman found her groove on Tuesday to pull off a 7-6 6-2 win over Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain.
Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova was forced to withdraw with a viral illness and blamed her condition on her recent gruelling schedule.
"After having a few really long weeks I feel my body needs a rest," said the fifth seeded Russian.
"I think it's just a lot of flying. I've done a lot of travelling in the last few weeks, going from Israel (for the Fed Cup) back home and really not resting at all, practising right away for Doha and then going there. One way or another it's going to take a toll.
"I'm going to take a week off now and go on a vacation. I'm just going on a spontaneous trip where there's going to be a limited amount of people and a very limited amount of things to do.
"I'll read and just do nothing. That's my goal for the next week so I can come out with a fresh frame of mind."
Her replacement in the draw, Japan's Akiko Morigami, made the most of her late call-up and defeated Hugary's Agnes Szavay 6-1 6-4 to set up a second-round date with Mauresmo.
(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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Post by SuperMarion on Feb 27, 2008 22:01:54 GMT
Seles admitted it?! I wasnt aware that she has.
Coincidently I intend to blog something about Seles following her official retirement. Being Marion's idol and all.
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