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Wednesday, April 22, 2009

April 21,22 - Breaking News (Tennis.com)

Wednesday, April 22, 2009 | Posted by SuperDuper | | Edit Post
Last updated on 4/21/2009
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by Kamakshi Tandon

The TickerMadrid organizers say they are looking at having blue clay courts in the future to better co-ordinate with the colors of their main sponsor.

One of the tournament's outside courts will be set up with blue clay this year for dubious players to test out, tournament director Manolo Santana was quoted as saying by El Periodico de Catalunya. "Once the players see that it is exactly the same as red there will be no problem."

The Ion Tiriac-owned Madrid event is known for its bold attempts to attract publicity, including the introduction of models as ball boys and ball girls when it was an indoor event in the fall.

The TickerDanai Udomchoke has completed his law degree at Bangkok University.

The TickerGaston Gaudio gets his first ATP match win since the 2007 French Open, defeating Diego Junqueira 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in Barcelona.

"This win is unbelievable, it's great to win a match at this level again," said Gaudio, who received a wildcard into Barcelona, the site of his first ATP tournament victory.

He has also applied for wildcards to the new ATP event Belgrade and the French Open, where he was the champion in 2004. "I'm just hoping for some wild card invitations. I'll go where I'm invited."

After flirting with retirement through most of 2007 and 2008, Gaudio said earlier this year that he had rediscovered his enthusiasm for the game.

The TickerRoger Federer's website references this week's story in Swiss weekly "Schweizer Illustrierte" saying the couple are expecting a boy. Federer has innocuously referred to the baby as "he" during past press conferences, but not given specific details. The magazine also said the baby was due in August. [Note: The website item has been updated to omit the earlier mention of the baby and instead focuses on wedding details.]

The TickerNow that artificial lights have been installed on Centre Court to allow play under the new stadium roof, Wimbledon officials say they are willing to allow play at night in order to complete the day's schedule. Separate night sessions, however, are not planned

"We don't want to see night-time tennis and we hope and believe that that the matches would finish in day time hours," said All England Club chief executive Ian Ritchie. "But if they don't finish we will close and finish them.

"We are well aware of the impact on local residents and the staff working here, but there is also an obligation for the people here in person who know we have the facility to use it and for the millions watching on television."

Ritchie added that local authorities have not set a specific time by which play must end, and that "if a match starts with [the roof] shut it will finish with it shut."

The TickerGael Monfils is in doubt for the French Open because of a left knee problem. "Frankly, it's super complicated to explain. I don't exactly have the right words [but] it's something quite serious," he told L'Equipe. "It is possible that I will not be able to play Roland Garros. But I'm keeping hope. Everything will depend on the next [medical test] that I must undergo in two weeks. The first MRI last week was not good."

Monfils made a surprise run to the French Open semifinals last year, delighting the home crowds after the pre-tournament withdrawals of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Richard Gaquet.

The TickerWedding day photos: Andy Roddick and Brooklyn Decker from People here; Roger Federer and Mirka Vavrinec reprinted from Schweizer Illustrierte here.

The TickerAndy Murray, soccer star David Beckham and Olympic heptathlete Denise Lewis helped to launch the British arm of charity Malaria No More in London on Monday. Malaria No More UK aims to raise awareness and funds to combat the disease worldwide.

"“This is the first global charity I’ve been involved with in this capacity and it was an easy decision," said Murray. “Malaria is completely preventable and stoppable but yet it still kills more children in Africa than any other single disease."

The TickerDinara Safina officially becomes No. 1 on the WTA rankings, making her and Marat Safin the first brother-sister combo to both hold the top ranking at some point in their careers.

Safin became No. 1 in the fall of 2000, shortly after winning his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open. Safina is the second player in a row on the women's side to make her debut at No. 1 without yet winning a Grand Slam in her career.

"It’s a great honor to reach the No. 1 ranking and it is a dream that every girl who has ever wanted to play professional tennis shares," said Safina when her ascension to the top spot was announced two weeks ago. “There’s no question that while I am very proud of my results over the past year, I would have liked to reach this achievement in a different manner. I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I merit the honor of being world No. 1."

The TickerToni Nadal, Rafael's uncle and coach, on his nephew's play in Monte Carlo: "He was missing a little confidence in his game and you could see that his serve was incredibly weak. But it's the first tournament on clay this season for him and I hope that with some more matches, it'll get better.
"We know that there's a lot of work to do before Roland Garros. But he still won."
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