Passing shots

It's official: Vera Zvonareva has hired Karen Krotov to be her coach, at least for the U.S. hard court season; sources differ as to whether Krotov will work with Zvonareva in that capacity during clay season. Krotov did coach Zvonareva during the Fed Cup semifinals. The world number 2 parted with coach Sergei Demekhin because, she said, he didn't want to work with a team. Says Demekhin: "I have experience and I know girls' psychology, so let's wait for offers."

You can get to know Nadia Lalami.

"Neither as muscular nor as deep-voiced as she appears on television, she was strikingly normal, if that makes any sense." Yeah, Malcolm, we get it.

Rebecca Marino has begun taking Pilates classes.

James LaRosa has a fantasy about the WTA and on-court coaching.

Flipkens ends Lalami's run in Fes

Nadia Lalami, who upset top seed Aravane Rezai in Fes, went out today in the quarterfinals. She was defeated 6-0, 6-1 by Kirsten Flipkens.

4th seed Greta Arn went out in straight sets to 7th seed Simona Halep, and Alberta Brianti defeated Melanie Oudin 7-5, 5-7, 6-0. Dinara Safina and Anastasia Pivovarvova had to endure rain delays in Fes. Safina emerged the winner when she defeated Pivovarova 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

Top seed Rezai upset in Fes

The home players have dazzled in Germany, but today in Morocco, there was also a big triumph for a countrywoman. Wild card Nadia Lalami, ranked number 497 number in the world, defeated top seed (and wild card) Aravane Rezai 2-6, 7-6, 6-4 in the second round of the Fes event. The 20-year-old Lalami is from Morocco.

Lalami's next opponent will be Kirsten Flipkens.