Miscellany

Laura Robson and Jamie Murray have asked for a wild card into the Wimbledon mixed doubles competition.

Ai Sugiyama will represent the sport of tennis as an Athlete Role Model at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, which will be held in Singapore in August.

Li Na will donate her Madrid prize money to the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation. The organization is helping earthquake victims in Yushu.

Anne Keothavong has been moved to the main draw of the French Open.

Since today is Mother's Day in the U.S., Women Who Serve gives you an update on Tzipi Obziler, who was repeatedly left off of the list of mothers on the tour until the day she retired. I suppose the tour authorities (who still don't list Obziler's motherhood in her official tour bio) and the media thought they couldn't sidestep the "issue" anymore. Obziler is now a council member in the municipality of her home city, Givatayim, in Israel.

Kleybanova & Schiavone win Toray Pan Pacific Open

Despite the almost universal wish for Ai Sugiyama to win the final doubles tournament of her career, it was another veteran, Fran Schiavone, who--with partner Alisa Kleybanova--took the Tokyo title this year. Sugiyama and Daniela Hantuchova went up 4-1 in the first set, but were overtaken by Kleybanova and Schiavone, 6-4, 6-2.

Schiavone continues to surprise us. Just when it looks as though her career is winding down, she wins both of her singles matches against Russia in Fed Cup play, gets to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, defeats Victoria Azarenka and makes it to the round of 16 at the U.S. Open, and then wins the Tokyo doubles title.

Black & Huber upset in Tokyo

The unseeded team of Alisa Kleybanova and Francesca Schiavone defeated the world number 1 team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber, 7-6, 6-3, in the Tokyo semifinals yesterday. Their opponents in the final will be Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama, who defeated Gisela Dulko and Nadia Petrova, 7-6, 7-5, in the semifinals.

The Toray Pan Pacific Open doubles final will be Sugiyama's last match as a professional tennis player.

The end of an era: Sugiyama retires

Ai Sugiyama announced a few weeks ago that she was retiring at the Toray Pan Pacific Open, and the tournament began with a farewell ceremony for her. For fans who have been following tennis for a long time, it's hard to think back to a time when Sugiyama was not a name on the tour. Just over five feet, four inches, Sugiyama stood as a dramatic contrast to the tall, powerful players who arrived on the scene at the beginning of the last decade, but she held her own--and then some--staying remarkably fit for years, and attracting a wide fan base.

Ranked as high as number 8 in the world, Sugiyama won six singles titles; two of those wins were at the Japan Open. As good as Sugiyama was in singles, however, it will be her doubles play for which she will be most remembered; she won a total of 38 doubles titles. She and Julie Halard won the 2000 U.S. Open, and--teamed with Kim Clijsters--she won both Wimbledon and the French Open in 2003. Sugiyama and Mahesh Bhupati won the 1999 U.S. Open mixed doubles title.

Sugiyama was also a long-time member of the Japanese Fed Cup team, and she was a member of the Japanese Olympic team on four occasions. She has played in the main draw of 62 consecutive major events, which is the record for both the WTA and the ATP.

Coached by her mother, Fusako, for her entire career, Sugiyama is also part-owner of a family business that incorporates a number of recreational establishments, including a tennis academy. An avid golfer, she has always been fond of tournaments in venues where there are good golf courses.

Between her business interests and golf, one might think that Sugiyama is looking forward to a busy life. However, just recently, she said she had mixed feelings and that, "I can't imagine not playing tennis." It will also be hard for fans to imagine tennis without her.

Hantuchova answers question about doubles

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been wondering with whom Daniela Hantuchova will play doubles now that Ai Sugiyama is retiring. She addresses this issue in her Seoul blog, in the question and answer part:

We're playing our last tournament together in Tokyo. It's really sad, but I'm really glad I'll be a part of her last tournament. Ai has given me so many wonderful memories on the court, and we're great friends, so it's going to be tough to see her go. She's such a great fighter and a great person. The tennis world will miss her, for sure I will. It won't be easy to find another one like her. Next year I may play some doubles here and there but I'm really going to try focusing on my singles. One of the reasons I was playing doubles so much was because Ai was one of my best friends, and we were having so much fun.

U.S. Open miscellany

Melanie Oudin's story has topped all other stories, especially in the U.S., as well it should. However, this U.S. Open also gave tennis fans a chance to see more of the lovely game of Yaroslava Shvedova, the player who upset Jelena Jankovic. In addition to having a game worth watching, Shvedova also has a compelling on-court personality. Trivia you should know: Oudin defeated Shvedova on her way to the round of 16 at Wimbledon.

Speaking of Oudin: She had to check out of the Manhattan Marriott on Sunday because her reservation expired.

Serena Williams took some time off from the Open to throw the first pitch at a Yankees game.

John McEnroe said yesterday that a strong coach is very important, especially on the women's side "because of the travel." I'm sure he'll have competition, but it will be hard to top this gem as the most offensively patriarchal statement made by a commentator during the tournament.

This was almost certainly Ai Sugiyama's last U.S.Open. She speculates that she will retire after the Tokyo tournament. Sugiyama reached the U.S. Open round of 16 in singles in both 2003 and 2004. She and Julie Halard won the doubles championship in 2000.

Brooklyn filmmaker Alan Rich has filed a suit against the USTA, claiming the organization discriminates against wheelchair competitors by refusing to sell broadcast licensing rights to their matches. Rich, who is making a documentary about wheelchair tennis, claims that--since the networks do not broadcast wheelchair matches--he should have the right to do so. State Supreme Court Justice Michelle Weston is expected to make a decision today.

Hanuchova and Sugiyama upset at Wimbledon

6th seeds Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama were taken out of Wimbledon doubles competition today by Alisa Kleybanova and Ekaterina Makarova, who defeated them 4-6, 7-6, 6-2.

The other doubles upset today involved 15th seeds Chuang Chia-Jung and Sania Mirza (I still can't get used to not writing Chan and Chuang). They were defeated, 6-2, 6-3, by Alla Kudryavtseva and Monica Niculescu.

Amanmuradova and Sugiyama upset Stosur and Stubbs in Eastbourne

Yesterday, Sam Stosur and Rennae Stubbs upset the world number 1 team of Cara Black and Liezel Huber, but today, it was they who were upset. The AEGON International championship was won by Akgul Amanmuradova and Ai Sugiyama. Amanmuradova and Sugiyama defeated Stosur and Stubbs 6-4, 6-3.

Hantuchova and Sugiyama upset in first round in Miami

The team of Petra Martic and Coco Vandewegh upset number 5 doubles seeds Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama in the first round of the Sony Ericsson Open today. Martic and Vandewegh won the match with a score of 2-6, 7-5, 10-5.

Venus and Serena win Australian Open doubles title

It looked good for Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama when the women's doubles final at the Australian Open began. They just missed going up two breaks in the first set, and that was the last time they would have that much momentum. There were multiple breaks of serve throughout the match, however, and more often than not, they were consecutive. There were also a lot of balls that were hit into players' bodies.

Hantuchova and Sugiyama had a great run in Melbourne, but in the end, they could not out play the lightning-fast Williams sisters. This is the sisters' eighth major doubles title.

Williams/Williams def. Hantuchova/Sugiyama, 6-3, 6-3

Williams sisters and Hantuchova/Sugiyama to meet in final

10-seeded Venus and Serena Williams defeated Casey Dellacqua and Francesca Schiavone 6-0, 6-2 in the Australian Open semifinals, setting up a final against number 9 seeds Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama. Hantuchova and Sugiyama won their semifinal against Nathalie Dechy and Mara Santangelo, 6-4, 6-3.

The Williams sisters have won the Australian Open twice. Hantuchova reached the finals in 2002 with partner Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.

Hantuchova and Sugiyama upset Black and Huber in major thriller

Earlier today, I said it was time to talk about doubles. Now, it's really time to talk about doubles. Top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber have been upset in the Australian Open quarterfinals by Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama, 6-7, 6-3, 7-6. The three-hour ordeal was an absolute thriller, with Black and Huber finally dominating the first set with a 7-0 tiebreak score, Hantuchova and Sugiyama getting themselves together in the second, and back-to-back thrills occurring in the third.

Of course, that third set didn't look too thrilling for a while, although there were some very entertaining rallies. Hantuchova and Sugiyama were down, 2-5, and it just looked like a matter of moments before Black and Huber won the match. But suddenly, Hantuchova and Sugiyama began to play completely in sync with one another, with Hantuchova setting up superb volleys for Sugiyama. About this time, Black became somewhat vulnerable, too, which gave her opponents some room to hit shots between her and Huber.

Hantuchova and Sugiyama brought the match to a tiebreak, but then went down 2-6 in that. Again, the match appeared to be over, and again, Hantuchova and Sugiyama refused to go out. They won the tiebreak 12-10, and saved a total of seven match points. The crowd response was tremendous throughout, as the reunited team of Hantuchova and Sugiyama played one the best matches of their careers.

Goings-on at the Australian Open

I didn't see but a bit of the match, but during the doubles competition between the Williams sisters and Ayumi Morita/Martina Muller, yet another streaker appeared on the court. Apparently, several people--but probably not Monica Seles--thought it was pretty funny.

Ai Sugiyama appeared to be cramping in the second set of her match against Jelena Jankovic, though--after treatment--she looked fine. Galina Voskoboeva wasn't as lucky; she retired at the end of her first third round set from either a shoulder injury or a back strain--I've heard both.

Kaia Kanepi must have folded under the pressure of playing on a big court in a major. The usually feisty performer gave Dinara Safina almost no resistance.

The ITF has fined Nicole Vaidisova $2,000 for failing to appear at her Australian Open press conference.

The only big match I've watched is the Serena Williams-Gisela Dulko thriller. The others--Venus Williams vs. Carla Suarez Navarro, Ana Ivanovic vs. Alisa Kleybanova, Daniela Hantuchova vs. Alize Cornet, Jelena Dokic vs. Paszek, Chakvetadze and Wozniacki--either Tennis Channel and ESPN didn't show them, or the matches were at 4 a.m. my time, which made them unwatchable. I haven't even been able to see repeats. The Williams-Dulko match was shown over and over, but it was one I saw live. This is frustrating because the Australian Open is the only major which I really can watch, except for the night matches. Work, alas, interferes with the other three majors. I'm hoping for a little rain, so Tennis Channel and ESPN will show some repeats, even though it isn't really that much fun to watch a match when you know its outcome. To make matters worse, I think that Wimbledon Live is no more, so my ability to view that major will also be limited. I always like to have one match going on TV, and another one on the computer.

So, even though I am watching a lot of tennis, I don't feel like I'm really seeing a lot of tennis. I enjoy watching ATP matches, and I have had a bit of luck seeing a couple of the good ones. But I feel cheated out of seeing most of the good women's matches.

Dementieva and Safina to meet in Sydney final

Ai Sugiyama kept Dinara Safina busy running and thinking throughout their Medibank International semifinal. Sugiyama looked fresher, almost from the start of the match, but Safina found a way to get through, 6-4, 7-6.

In the other semifinal, a visibly tired Serena Williams--spent from her long and grueling struggle against Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals--was not able to put up much of a fight against Elena Dementieva, who won the match, 6-3, 6-1. And to show off her improved serve, Dementieva hit three aces in one game.

Black & Huber upset in Brisbane

Cara Black and Liezel Huber have lost their Brisbane quarterfinal match to the ad hoc reunited team of Daniela Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama. Hantuchova and Sugiyama defeated Black and Huber 7-5, 3-6, 10-3.

Stosur wins opening round in Brisbane

Samantha Stosur's first round was postponed, but she was ready. She defeated Ai Sugiyama, 6-2, 6-3 to advance to the second round.

Kirilenko withdraws from Brisbane

Maria Kirilenko has withdrawn from the Brisbane International tournament. She was to have played in the very first match, against Samantha Stosur. Stosur will play Ai Sugiyama instead.

Some reports say that Kirilenko withdrew because of illness; others say it was because of injury.

Black and Huber upset in Linz final

It wasn't much of an upset--the number 2 seeds beat the number 1 seeds--but it was nevertheless an impressive win for Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama today in Linz. They defeated Cara Black and Liezel Huber, 6-4, 7-5, to take the title.

2 teams advance to semifinals

Number 10 seeds Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur have advanced to the semifinals of the U.S. Open by defeating Marina Erakovic and Jelena Kostanic Tosic, 7-6, 6-0. Also, 4th seeded Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama defeated Dominika Cibulkova and Virginie Razzano, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

The two teams will play each other in the semifinals.

The walking wounded--one down, one prevails

I wasn't sure today whether I was watching pro tennis or a medical show, what with Jelena Jankovic's knee and Marion Bartoli's ankle. I knew Jankovic's knee would act up because she has been playing when she should be home resting. She has a bad knee and a bad back and various other ailments from time to time, but her most serious problem is with her ears: She does not listen to sound advice. It didn't help that her Rogers Cup opponent, Dominika Cibulkova, down 1-5 in the first set, suddenly found both her serve and her nerve, and in the first set, too.

From the moment she snapped to, Cibulkova played with precision and aggression, which led to her defeating Jankovic, 7-5, 6-2. This means that Jankovic will not become the number 1 player in the world, which is probably a good thing--for now. However, I would be willing to put money on Jankovic's continuing to play when she should take some time off. If she doesn't take time off, she is likely to remove herself from the contender list for the U.S. Open.

Then there was Marion Bartoli, who was already a mess of injuries before some people had even heard of Jankovic. There she was, limping across the court in her match against Ai Sugiyama, taking medical breaks and generally looking like someone on leave from the orthopedic unit. But the part of Bartoli that was working overtime was her head, and she took advantage Sugiyama's lapses of concentration, to defeat her in a rather stylish way, 6-2, 6-3.

Bartoli beat Sugiyama two weeks ago in the semifinals in Stanford, but prior to that, she had lost five times to her.

Bartoli's next opponent will be Cibulkova.