Sharapova withdraws from Brisbane

World number 4 Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from the Brisbane International because of the ankle injury. Sharapova has been training and practicing, but says she is not yet ready to compete in a tournament. This would have been her first time to enter Brisbane, which now has premier status.

The event begins on January 1. Kim Clijsters is scheduled to play the first match, and Australian Sam Stosur is scheduled to play in the first night match.

Kvitova named Czech Athlete of the Year

World number 2 Petra Kvitova has been named the Czech Republic's 2011 Athlete of the Year. Kvitova was also selected as the WTA's Player of the Year and was given the designation of ITF World Champion. She led the Czech Fed Cup team--named Czech Republic Team of the Year--to the 2011 championship, and won both Wimbledon and the WTA Championships, plus four other titles.

Kvitova has recently gone through off-season training in the mountains in the High Tatras mountain range, located between Poland and the Slovak Republic.

Friday cat blogging--waiting for Santa edition

Passing shots

Madison Keys has been awarded a wild card into the Australian Open main draw. 16-year-old Keys won the USTA's Australian Open wild card playoff tournament. Keys beat Gail Brodsky in straight sets in the final on Sunday.

Venus Williams has withdrawn from the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. Williams is continuing to recover from the effects of Sjogren's Syndrome. The ASB Classic begins on January 7.

Trainer Scott Byrnes has left Ana Ivanovic's support team--again. This time around, Byrnes was Ivanovic's trainer for only five months.

Kim Clijsters has won Belgium's Sportswoman of the Year award for the eighth time. The award was presented to her by Justine Henin (photos available, if you dare).

All for now--I've gone caroling with friends.

Passing shots

Here is an interview with Petra Kvitova about her off-season training and other activities.

And here is one with Jelena Jankovic.

"There were a lot of nights crying and things being thrown," Bethanie Mattek-Sands says about her Wimbledon injury, which took her out of play for the season.

Heather Watson has learned how to drive, and has passed her driving test.

Finally, here's the WTA's very entertaining look at 2011:

Friday cat blogging--eye to eye edition

Quote of the day

"I must say that the role of tennis players I like more than the role of models."

Petra Kvitova, after doing a photo shoot