Passing shots

Doug Robson interviewed Serena Williams for USA Today. The former world number 1 has had a really difficult time lately, and talks quite openly about it.

Ana Ivanovic has parted ways with trainer Marja Lojanica. 

Shelby Rogers, last year's SMASH Junior Cup winner, has received a wild card into the main draw of the Family Circle Cup.

Guess who's playing mixed doubles in the U.S. open qualifying sectionals?! This broadcast is a bit long, but definitely worth listening to.

“It's never easy to play, I think, your countryman or countrygirl." That quote, unfortunately, comes from Novak Djokovic (from whom I expect more than, say, Brett Haber or Lindsay Davenport).

Steve Flink reviews Allen Fox's new Book, Tennis: Winning the Mental Match.

Chris Oddo interviews Bud Collins about the WTA.

Bethanie Mattek-Sands (who recently hit her first winning tweener) will make her debut as a BBC commentator during Wimbledon this summer.

Schnyder and Rogers team for exhibition doubles match

Ekaterina Makarova and Marie-Eve Pelletier may have received a walkover when Peng Shuai and Elena Vesnina withdrew from competition at the Family Circle Cup, but they are still going to play tonight. Makarova and Pelletier will play in an exhibition match against Patty Schnyder and Shelby Rogers.

Rogers was this year's SMASH Junior Cup winner, and she received a wild card into Charleston qualifying. She lost to Christina McHale in the first round, though she did take one set. Rogers also played in a Monday night exhibition match against Malou Ejdesgaard.

And speaking of exhibition matches, there was a Run/Roll wheelchair exhibition match in Charleston on Wednesday. Competitors included two-time Italian Cup national champion Allesandro Cianfoni, and Diane Fishburne, current women's 45s world number 1.

Shelby Rogers wins SMASH Junior Cup

Charleston resident Shelby Rogers has won the SMASH Junior Cup. The tournament is one of only two in the U.S. that gives top juniors a chance to compete for a wild card into a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour premiere event. Rogers defeated Emily Gelber of Scarsdale, New York, 6-1, 6-2. For her win, she has received a wild card into the Family Circle Cup qualifying rounds.

Rogers is a resident of Daniel Island, where the Family Circle Cup is played. Qualifying takes place on April 8 and 9.