Williams chosen for Hopman Cup competition

Serena Williams has been chosen, along with Mardy Fish, to represent the U.S. in the Hopman Cup, which will take place in late December and early January in Perth, Australia. Williams and Fish are seeded second, right after the Serbian team of Jelena Jankovic and Novak Djokovic.

Dementieva reported to be engaged to be married

According to a couple of Russian newspapers, Elena Dementieva is officially engaged to her long-time partner, Buffalo Sabres right wing, Maxim Afinogenov. According to reports, they will wed in July of next year.

Hantuchova wins in Linz; Williams drops out of the race

Being a Patty Schnyder fan is not for sissies, and once again, today, we were disappointed to see Patty stand as a finalist in yet another tournament. So many finals...so few wins. She was defeated by Daniela Hantuchova, who tends to choke at big moments, but not today. Or perhaps Schnyder's head problems were just greater than Hantuchova's.

Having won the Generali Ladies Linz, Hantuchova moved to a tie with Maria Sharapova for the number 8 spot in the race to the Year-End Championships. Theoretically, the 8th spot would have gone to the player who had played more tournaments, but number 7 Venus Williams withdrew today, citing medical reasons, so both Hantuchova and Sharapova are in. Sharapova could withdraw, however, because of her shoulder injury, and that would put Marion Bartoli into the 8th spot.

NOW can we call it a rivalry?

Daniela Hantuchova and Patty Schnyder, who have played each other sixteen times and have each won eight matches, will renew their rivalry on Sunday in theGenerali Ladies Linz final. If Hantuchova wins, she will move to the 8th spot in the race to the Sony Ericsson WTA Year-End Championships.

Schnyder took out Marion Bartoli, 7-6, 6-3 to reach the final, and Hantuchova beat Nicole Vaidisova, 2-6, 6-2, 7-6.

Final four selection completed

The doubles team of Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama, along with the team of Kveta Peschke and Rennae Stubbs, will participate in the Sony Ericsson WTA Year-End Championships in Madrid next month. The other two teams--Black and Huber, and Chan and Chuang--were the first two to qualify. Defending champions Lisa Raymond and Sam Stosur cannot compete because Stosur is recovering from viral meningitis.

Blogging to slow down

I am going on vacation, so blogging will slow down, especially for a few days when I will have no Internet access of any kind. I will resume regular blogging in a week and a half.

Number 1 seed out of Linz

Indoor carpet specialist Patty Schnyder pulled off the smackdown of the Generali Ladies Linz tournament today, taking out number one seed Anna Chakvetadze, 6-1, 6-0. Schnyder will play Marion Bartoli (I hate that...I want them both to win) in the semifinals; Bartoli defeated Julia Vakulenko 6-1, 1-6, 6-4.

Daniela Hantuchova, who defeated Alona Bondarenko, will face Nicole Vaidisova, who got past Dinara Safina, 6-3, 7-6.

Serving up a storm

During the first set of today's Linz quarterfinal match between Alona Bondarenko and Daniela Hantuchova, neither player faulted on a first serve. In the third set, Bondarenko did not fault on any first serves. The overall match statistics show Bondarenko with a 99% first serve percentage (she got 95% in in the second set). That is some clean serving! Hantuchova, for her part, had an overall 88% first serve percentage, and she also hit five aces. Both players had similar first serve win percentages (69 and 67).

Hantuchova took the first set, Bondarenko ran away with the second, and in the last half of the third, Hantuchova got the break and emerged the winner, 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Worth noting: Two of Ukraine's top players, Bondarenko and Julia Vakulenko, made the quarterfinals of this tournament.

Friday cat blogging--underside edition

Velma emerges from a condo

Sharapova adds journalism to her to-do list

Tennis Week Magazine has hired Maria Sharapova as a regular contributor. She will write about fashion, beauty, health, wellness, and fitness. If that sounds terribly boring, don't despair. I can't imagine Sharapova writing in anything but her own sharp, witty style, regardless of the subject matter.

Golovin retires with knee injury in Linz

At least it wasn't her ankle. She retired at 4-6, 1-0 against Eleni Daniilidou.

Vaidisova wins close contest with Pennetta

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote that Flavia Pennetta was definitely on her way back after enduring a long injury and recovery time-out. She went on to win in Bangkok. Today, she lost in the first round in Linz, but her performance was nevertheless impressive. In a tight three-set match against Nicole Vaidisova, Pennetta lost--according to the stats--because her second serve was vulnerable.

I didn't get to the scoreboard until the third set, and it involved deuce game after deuce game. Vaidisova broke Pennetta at 4-all, but when she went to serve for the match, Pennetta broke her at love. It went to a tiebreak, Vaidisova broke at 4-all, and that was the end of the Italian.

Those who saw the match on television said that during the break, when players are allowed to have coaching, Pennetta had her friend and former doubles partner (why are they no longer playing doubles together?) Gisela Dulko, come give her some advice.

Chan and Chuang qualify for final 4

Chan Yung-Jan and Chuang Chia-Jung have qualified in doubles competition for the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Year-End Championships. Cara Black and Liezel Huber had already qualified, and there are two slots left. Defending champions Lisa Raymond and Sam Stosur will not be there because Stosur is recovering from viral meningitis, and the highly-ranked Yan Zi and Zheng Jie have not been able to play for several months because of Zheng's ankle injury.

Chakvetadze confirmed as part of final 8

Anna Chakvetadze has been officially confirmed as a competitor in the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Year-End Championships. That leaves only two slots open. The round-robin tournament begins November 6 in Madrid.

Bartoli to play in Linz

Following Marion Bartoli's withdrawal from the Zurich Open because of a left knee injury, it was unknown whether she would be able to participate in the Generali Ladies Linz this week. However, she arrives in Linz tomorrow, and will play her second round against either Anabel Medina Garrigues (I hate it when two players I like play each other) or Tamira Paszek.

Williams and Golovin team up for UNESCO

Here is their new gender equality promotional spot.

Henin wins 9th title of the year

World number one Justine Henin won her ninth title of the year today, defeating Tatiana Golovin 6-4, 6-4 in the final of the Zurich Open. Unlike their final match meeting in Stuttgart, Golovin got off to a slow start, making poor court decisions and not using her usually strong forehand very effectively. She picked it up in the second set, though, even taking a 4-1 lead, but that lead evaporated quickly after Henin held at 2-4. Again, Golovin's thought processes were off; she set up winning play after winning play, and repeatedly failed to make the shots that would have consolidated them.

The trophy presentation was charming, and included a group of men who sang a personalized version of "We Are the Champions" to Henin. (To see Henin singing the song, go here.)

Golovin is now 0-4 against Henin, whose Zurich win gives her ten career Tier I titles.

Henin wins high-quality semifinal

I kept waiting for Nicole Vaidisova to crumble mentally during her well-played Zurich semifinal match against Justine Henin, but it never happened. Vaidisova lost the match, but she kept her cool throughout all three sets. Not only did she not wilt, she thought her way through some of the toughest points. Is this a new Vaidisova? If it is, it's one who's going to be dangerous from now on. Final score: Henin def. Vaidisova, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5

The other semifinal started out as a disaster, with Francesca Schiavone unable to find her game and giving up the first set at love. But she came to life in the second set and gave Tatiana Golovin a run for it, hitting with heavy topspin, showing her extraordinary athleticism, and giving a lesson in net play. It wasn't enough, though, and the final score was Golovin def. Schiavone, 6-0, 6-4.

Schiavone and Golovin get an easy cruise into the Zurich semifinals

Svetlana Kuznetsova retired from her quarterfinal match, which Francesca Schiavone was leading, 6-3, 3-3 today beause of a right shoulder strain.

Later, Marion Bartoli retired from quarterfinal against her "more French" opponent, Tatiana Golovin, when Bartoli was leading 5-4 in the first set. Bartoli had just broken Golovin at love and was about to serve for the first set, in fact, when she retired with a left knee injury. Bartoli has a history of frequent match retirements, and things have been better lately, but here we go again.

The retirement pretty much ruins any chance Bartoli had of getting into the Sony Ericsson Year-End Championships.

Good news for Krajicek fans

The talented but woefully under-achieving Michaella Krajicek has hired Alistair McCaw to coach her for at least the first six months of the 2008 season.

Raymond and Stosur will not defend title in Madrid

The doubles team of Lisa Raymond and Sam Stosur, who won last year's Sony Ericsson WTA Year-End Championships, will not be in Madrid next month to defend their title. Stosur has been ill with viral meningitis for much of the latter part of the season, and she is currently receiving treatment in the U.S. that will take up to six weeks to complete.

This is a blow to fans, but good for Stosur, who should be healthy and ready to play by 2008.

Friday cat blogging--periodicals edition

Roxie catches up on her magazine reading

Petrova withdraws from Linz

Nadia Petrova has withdrawn from the Generali Ladies Linz tournament because of a groin injury.

Safina and Azarenka to play doubles in 2008

As announced on Eurosport today.

Vaidisova takes Jankovic out of Zurich

6-4, 6-4 is a close score, and on a good day, Vaidisova has what it takes to beat almost anyone, but looking at the bigger picture--today's loss by Jankovic has run out of steam. Jankovic is in great shape, but a tennis player needs both physical and mental rest in order to compete in top form. She says she plays so many tournaments because she doesn't like to just be on the practice court. Duly noted, but it doesn't seem that she took enough time off this year, though she has made good her promise to go easy during the last part of the season.

Second round in Zurich, retired in the semifinals of Stuttgart from heat illness, lost final at China Open, quarterfinals in Bali...I think Jankovic waited too late to thin out her schedule. I hope that, next year, she is more judicious at the start of the season. I am a really big Jankovic fan, and I hate to see someone with this much talent burn out.

Williams qualifies for the Sony Ericsson Year-End Championships

Serena Wiliams has qualified as one of the final eight to compete in the Sony Ericsson Year-End Championships in Madrid--three spots to go...

Sharapova withdraws from Zurich and Linz

Defending champion Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Zurich Open, and has also withdrawn from the Generali Ladies Linz tournament, which follows the tournament in Zurich. Her shoulder has not healed, and now one must wonder whether she will be able to play in the Sony Ericsson Championships.

Dementieva wins Kremlin Cup

Moving across the court like an elegant gazelle, Elena Dementieva showed today why she has spent so much time in the top 10 and made two Grand Slam finals. But Dementieva did something different today: She added an excellent service game to her already unparalleled defensive game, and ran over Serena Williams, from whom she had never before taken even a set.

Dementieva did not always have a bad serve. Following a shoulder injury several years ago, she began to doubt her toss, and the more she doubted it, the less stable it became. According to at least one commentator, she used a compensatory serve for a while, and then could not stop using it. Her double fault record is extreme, though--in practice--observers say she hits serves that range from good to very good.

She tossed in some double faults today, but only six, and even her second serve proved effective from time to time. Serving at 5-6 in the first set, Dementieva went to pieces, easily handing the set over to Williams. But after that, it was all Dementieva, whose three-set match record has always been one of the best on the tour.

She repeatedly broke Williams, whose serve was very strong, but whose game broke down over time as she searched for places to put the ball where the speeding Dementieva could not get to them. Dementieva took the ball quickly, and played with such controlled flow that all Williams could do was shake her head and bang her racquet on the court. Final score: Dementieva def. Williams, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1

Dementieva will return to the top 10, where she belongs, on Monday.

Pennetta wins Bangkok Open

Defeating Chan Yung-Jan 6-1, 6-3 after a four-hour rain delay, Flavia Pennetta won the Bangkok Open today. This is a Tier III tournament, but Pennetta had to get through both Shahar Peer and Venus Williams to get to the final, making it a bit more than a Tier III win. Out with an injury and struggling to get back into form, the Bangkok win has to do wonders for Pennetta's confidence.

She's....back!

Not content just to take Shahar Peer out of the Bangkok quarterfinals, Flavia Pennetta did one better today and removed Venus Williams from the semifinals, defeating her 6-4, 7-6. Pennetta has had a tough time regaining her form since her injury layoff, but she has worked hard at smaller tournaments, getting her game back, and now that work is paying off. Pennetta will face Chan Yung-Jan in the finals.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, Elena Dementieva could have phoned in her semifinal match against Dinara Safina, who showed up in body only, and lost 6-1, 6-0. The other semifinal was a bit more interesting. Svetlana Kuznetsova kept up with Serena Williams in the first set, but the second set was the Serena Show. Final score: Williams def. Kuznetsova, 7-6, 6-1

Language matters: It's time to give some respect to tennis

"She's batting a thousand."

"She was aggressive, right out the gate."

"It's like batting practice."

"She did the one-two punch."

"She's waiting in the dugout."

"She's an effective counter-puncher."

"Think of her body as a race car."

"She was eager to get to the finish line."

Baseball, car racing, boxing, horse racing--these are metaphors that are constantly employed (and ones I have frequently heard) to describe tennis players. It annoys me to no end when commentators use one sport as a metaphor for another sport (that is such dead-lazy metaphor creation), but there is a bigger issue at hand than the very weak literacy skills of tennis commentators: Tennis will never gain the respect that these same commentators say they want it to have if they keep using other sports as reference points.

Can you imagine a football commentator saying "He's over the hundred yard line with an ace." Or a baseball commentator saying "It was a smash to right field." Or a boxing commentator announcing "It was an effective kick serve to the left jaw." Or how about a NASCAR announcer saying "Here she comes...she's at 40-love on the clock."

Of course you can't. Because football, baseball, boxing, racing, and soccer commentators and fans do not generally think of their sports as needing a reference point in another sport. And neither should tennis commentators. If you want to say that Sam Stosur's second serves kick like a kangaroo (I stole that line from a poem I once wrote), or that Amalie Mauresmo's backhand flows out of her (a wonderful metaphor I once heard about Mauresmo's entire game, not just her backhand)--not only is that effective use of metaphor, it is metaphor that does not insult tennis by presuming tennis needs a reference point in a "real" sport.

Friday cat blogging--day of rest edition

Ziggy naps between his friends Roxie (right) and Velma. Tarzan is probably too big to squeeze into this scene, and is off sleeping by himself.

False hope for Hingis

At the end of July, I wrote that Martina Hingis's months-long hip injury had totally healed. That is what Hingis thought. But two weeks later, the pain started again, and Hingis had to withdraw from Rogers Cup competition. Still plagued with hip pain, she has now withdrawn from the Zurich Open, which must be especially difficult for her. Her season, in fact, has ended.

It is starting to look like Hingis's hip is doing her in the way her feet did before. She had such a great comeback last year, but this year has been rough. We can only hope that she really does get rid of the hip problem and return in 2008 fully healthy (and with a better serve).

Defending champion out of Kremlin Cup

Anna Chakvetadze, playing her first round in Moscow, was sent packing today by countrywoman Dinara Safina, 7-6, 6-2. Chakvetadze's defeat continues a serious rash of upsets breaking out all over the Moscow event (on the men's side, too). Chakvetadze saved two match points in the second set. Indeed, she held two set points in the first set tiebreak, but could not convert them.

Safina's victory broke her ten-match losing streak against top ten players. She next faces another countrywoman, Vera Zvonareva, who is working to regain her former high standing on the tour, and who--in my opinion--has a good chance of succeeding. Zvonareva's blistering backhand may get her past an in-form Safina.

Serena Williams, for her part, endured a spirited challenge from qualifier Tatiana Perebiynis, defeating her 7-5, 6-4.

The Kremlin Cup is getting interesting

Sharapova is out, Mauresmo is out, Bartoli is out, Schnyder is out, Bammer is out. And we're still in the second round! The Sharapova and Mauresmo defeats were not unexpected, given their injury and illness status. There are still plenty of Russians left--defending champion Anna Chakvetadze, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Vera Dushevina, Vera Zvonareva, Elena Vesnina, Dinara Safina, and Elena Dementieva.

I expect the upsets to keep coming--why stop now? Kuznetsova, Serena Williams and Chakvetadze are still around, but for how long? It was at this tournament last year that Chakvetadze made it clear that she was a top ten player. Will someone else make a big splash in Moscow this year? Victoria Azarenka has already dispensed with both Bammer and Sharapova; can she take out Dementieva, too?

Phenoms serve notice in first round of Kremlin Cup

Both Agnieszka Radwanska and Victoria Azarenka announced themselves in the first round of the Kremlin Cup today by taking out Maria Kirilenko and Sybille Bammer, respectively. Both Kirilenko and Bammer have enjoyed increased success lately, so these wins are especially significant.

In the second round, Radwanska will get the winner of the Mauresmo-Zvonareva match, and Azarenka will face Maria Sharapova.

Henin wins Porsche Tennis Grand Prix

Tatiana Golovin, showing all the defensive brilliance of Jelena Jankovic, but with a much better serve, easily took the first set of her match today against world number 1 Justine Henin. But after that first set, Golovin--unlike Jankovic, who gives Henin a tough battle to the very last point--seemed to fade away. The commentators pointed out that Golovin began to make unforced errors, but one expects that after a very clean set. What also did her in was that she lost her ability to create strategy, and what had been an outstanding thinking game turned into a struggle. Golovin missed so many opportunities to make points, including opportunities she herself had set up.

Henin, for her part, raised the level of her game, providing spectators some flawless and outstanding shot-making, and winning the Stuttgart final, 2-6, 6-2, 6-1

Though today was not a good day for Golovin, it is worth pointing out that her game has improved tremendously, and she appears to be on her way toward fulfilling the promise of her former phenom status.

Razzano defeats Williams--wins Tokyo

Virginie Razzano saved three match points in the second set, and went on to defeat Venus Williams in the final of the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships. Williams apparently suffered some sort of injury, which--from what I have heard--is not very serious.

Only last week, at the Jinjiannan Guangzhou International Women's Open in Guangzhou, Razzano won her first career tournament, and now she has won her second, proving again that some of the toughest players around are the French ones.

Final score: 4-6, 7-6, 6-4

Update on de Jenken

A couple of months ago, I reported on a rumor that umpire Sandra de Jenken had switched over the ATP. Apparently, that rumor has no basis: I saw her calling the Stuttgart semifinal match between Justine Henin and Jelena Jankovic. And she made an uncharacteristic bad call, too, after Henin challenged an out call on what she thought was a good first serve. Jankovic's racquet touched the ball, making it a let, but de Jenken called it as an ace.

Henin does it again

Those of us who were hoping to see Jelena Jankovic break the curse today got that sinking feeling when--in the second set of her semifinal match in Stuttgart--Justine Henin, down 1-4 and 0-40--not only managed to hold serve, but then broke Jankovic. Katrina Adams, who I think is the best women's tennis commentator around, made an insightful remark about Jankovic--that she plays with more physicality than she needs to, and then fatigue sets in, and her serve suffers. We definitely saw that today. Final score: Henin def. Jankovic, 7-6, 7-5

Friday cat blogging--hanging loose edition

Just for the record--I think Sony Ericsson Championships Lite is a terrible idea

I haven't blogged about the Commonwealth Bank International Championships because I think the creation of such a competition is the worst idea to come along since getting rid of the ad point in doubles. One has to wonder: What next?

As Richard Vach points out on Tennis X, the experiment was designed to motivate--with money--players into playing at the end of the season. But the "road map" itself, with its shortened season, is already supposed to do that.

I am a fan of many players who are not in the top 8 or the top 10 or even the top 20. I want them to do well. But I don't want them to do perform in a tournament for the also-rans. Such an event detracts from, and even cheapens, the Sony Ericsson Championships.

I now await whatever bad idea Larry Scott and crew have in store for us next.

Sharapova gets wild card for Kremlin Cup

Not surprisingly, Kremlin Cup officials have granted Maria Sharapova a wild card so she can play in Moscow. She recently announced that she would not play until the Sony Ericsson Championships in November, but she has had a change of heart (or perhaps a change of shoulder).

Mirza out of Tokyo

Flavia Pennetta, who is gradually finding her form again, defeated number 2 seed Sania Mirza, 6-4, 6-4 today at the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo.

Bondarenko removes Ivanovic from Stuttgart competition

Kateryna Bondarenko, holding her nerve through a double fault and two saved match points, defeated Ana Ivanovic today at the Porcshe Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, and now goes to the quarterfinals, in which she will meet Tatiana Golovin, who took out Anna Chakvetadze yesterday. This is a huge win for the talented Bondarenko, and it was especially nice to see her keep her head together at the end of the match. Final score: Bondarenko def. Ivanovic, 6-2, 1-6, 6-3

James Martin revives the Sabatini controversy

Some time ago, in another blog, I wrote about the controversy surrounding Gabriela Sabatini's induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Some thought she should not have been inducted; others thought the induction was justified. I am in that latter group.

First, a quick look at the highlights of Sabatini's career:

• 27 singles titles, including the U.S. Open, in1990

• 14 doubles titles, including Wimbledon, in 1988

• finalist in two other Grand Slam singles tournaments

• two-time winner of what is now called the Sony Ericsson Championships (Year-End Championships)

• silver medal at the 1988 Olympics

There is no doubt that--if Sabatini had not wound up the filling in the Graf-Seles sandwich, she would have achieved much more. It was her misfortune to play during a period when these two spectacular champions played. She got as high as number 3 in the world, and was only one or two points away from becoming number 1. She could also have achieved more if she had stayed on the tour longer. In his column for Tennis.com, James Martin says that Sabatini "was inducted last year on the strength of, well, one Slam...."

But that is not the reality of the matter. A player is not inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame based solely on how many singles Grand Slams she has won. First, that would eliminate from consideration all of the doubles specialists. Should we deny Lisa Raymond induction? How about Rennae Stubbs? Second, Hall of Fame inductees are chosen "based on their records of competitive achievement." Surely "competitive achievement" encompasses more than Grand Slam singles wins.

I understand what Martin is saying--that the International Tennis Hall of Fame needs to change its standards so that so-called "one-Slam wonders" are not eligible. But that would still not eliminate Sabatini, unless it were made clear that doubles achievements simply do not count. Besides, 41 titles and a silver medal are nothing to sneeze at.

How many Grand Slam singles titles would be enough to permit induction? What about players who led their teams to major victories in Fed Cup competition? Would their achievements count? Do the Sony Ericsson Championships count for nothing?

I realize that there will probably always be some controversy surrounding Hall of Fame induction. But I think it is narrow to judge players' careers based on how many Grand Slam singles titles they have won. Many a great player has won only one or two, and though they "should" have won more, they were still great players with outstanding careers.

Ivanovic runs over Schnyder in Stuttgart

Though Patty Schnyder leads the head-to-head against Ana Ivanovic, today's victory at the Porsche Tennis Grans Pris gave Ivanovic three wins in a row over Schnyder, and sent Schnyder packing after playing just one round. Ivanovic's service stats were wonderful, and Shnyder's not so wonderful. Schnyder, who usually has a very good second serve--one of the better ones--won only 25% of her second serve points. Ouch. Final score: Ivanovic def. Schnyder, 6-0, 6-2

Leaving in the second round was Anna Chakvetadze, who was beaten by Tatiana Golovin, 7-6, 6-1.

May the rest of your season be better than today...

A rollercoaster named Bartoli

A bagel was all the carb nourishment Agnieszka Radwanska needed to take Marion Bartoli out in the first round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart today. After she lost the first set 0-6, Radwanska came back to handily win the next two, and once again, we are left asking: What is it with Marion Bartoli?

Bartoli has been injury-prone throughout her career, and just when she would gain momentum, she would have to retire and then miss a tournament or two. When she stormed through Wimbledon, her two-handed brilliance was on display at last. After that run, she struggled, and she told the press that her struggle had a lot to do with being exhausted, and with having to cope with all of the sudden attention. Last week, in Luxembourg, she took out Sybille Bammer and number 1 seed Anna Chakvetadze back to back, only to fade away when she played Daniela Hantuchova in the semifinals. And today, she won only three games after serving a bagel in the first set (the only game she won in the third lasted 25 minutes and had 15 deuces).

Whatever it is with Bartoli, there are a lot of us who would like to see some consistency for a while. She is too talented to keep going up and down like this in her career.

Final score: Radwanska def. Bartoli, 0-6, 6-2, 6-1