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ATP: Murray within his rights to withdraw from Marseille Open

ATP: Murray within his rights to withdraw from Marseille Open

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) on Monday reiterated its support over Andy Murray, saying that the British star was within his rights to withdraw from this week’s Marseille Open.
Tournament director Jean-Francois Caujolle was quoted in a British national newspaper calling for Murray to be suspended after missing the tournament for the second straight year.
Murray, the top seed at the tournament, had decided to continue his recovery from the Australian Open, where his bid to win a maiden grand slam title ended with a defeat by Roger Federer in the Melbourne final.
“The ATP has a clear structure in place with regard to player commitment and strict measures to discourage withdrawals,” an ATP statement said on Monday.
“We understand a situation like this can be frustrating for a tournament but, in this case, Andy followed the procedures for withdrawal and did not break any rules.”

Elena Dementieva wins Paris Open trophy

Elena Dementieva wins Paris Open trophy

Elena Dementieva of Russia holds the trophy after defeating Czech Republic’s Lucie Safarova, as she speaks with Amelie Mauresmo (L) during the Paris Open tennis tournament at the Coubertin stadium in Paris February 14, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters)

Federer included in Laureus Award shortlist

Federer included in Laureus Award shortlist

Swiss Roger Federer is running for his fifth sportsman of the year title after being included on the shortlist for the Laureus Sports Awards on Thursday.
Other candidates are sprinter Usain Bolt, distance runner Kenesisa Bekele, Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, Barcelona footballer Lionel Messi and Moto GP champion Valentino Rossi.
Serena Williams is the only former winner among the six women’s nominees. Alpine skiier Lindsey Vonn, sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser, U.S. athlete Sanya Richards and swimmers Federica Pellegrini and Britta Steffen complete the shortlist.
The winners will be announced on March 10.

Famous French tennis player Mauresmo retires

Famous French tennis player Mauresmo retires


Amelie Mauresmo (L), French tennis champion, smiles near her mother after a tribute to her career during Paris Open tennis tournament at the Coubertin stadium in Paris, February 10, 2010.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Sampras loses exhibition game to Verdasco at SAP Open

Sampras loses exhibition game to Verdasco at SAP Open

Former world number one Pete Sampras demonstrated that he still has some playing knacks in the game against a top player 12 years his junior in the second set of his 6-3, 7-6(2) exhibition loss to Spain’s Fernando Verdasco on Monday at the SAP Open.
Sampras received a standing ovation when the 56-minute match was over.
He waved and hit three balls into the crowd before telling everybody he “felt a little old” out there.

Year of Tiger Woods may be rocky

Year of Tiger Woods may be rocky

It’s the Year of the Tiger, but Chinese fortune tellers believe it will be a rough patch for the world’s most famous one, golfer Tiger Woods.

U.S. team member Tiger Woods watches play as he stands on the sixth hole during his foursome match at the Presidents Cup golf tournament at Harding Park golf course in San Francisco, California, in this October 8, 2009 file photo.(Xinhua/Reuters File Photo)
Other predictions: Trying times for United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, financial-market turmoil, spikes in fire-related natural disasters and a crucial period for United States President Barack Obama.
Under the school of feng shui – the traditional practice of predicting fortunes through dates and classical Chinese texts – the new lunar year starting on Sunday is associated with the natural elements of metal, wood, thunder and fire.
Metal is a symbol of righteous action – like waging war. Thunder and fire symbolize volatility, while wood feeds the fire.
It’s a recipe for geopolitical tension and drastic market movements, according to feng shui experts.
“People will try to take on the strong and help the weak,” Hong Kong feng shui adviser Raymond Lo said, noting that the previous Year of the Tiger associated with metal was 1950 – the year the Korean War broke out.
“They will try to help their fellow brothers. They will help friends who are being bullied. This year will be more violent.”
Fellow Hong Kong soothsayer Chow Hon-ming expects more terrorist attacks.
Fires and explosions were more likely in the coming year, Lo said.
Kuala Lumpur-based Yap Boh Chu said beware of earthquakes, volcano eruptions and “metal-related accidents” like car crashes, armed robberies and industrial incidents.
Markets would be topsy-turvy as the world recovered from the US financial crisis, but on balance would post decent results, they said.
“When markets rise, they will rise fiercely and when they drop, they will drop dramatically,” Chow said.
Yap said investors would be jittery throughout the year.
“You’re always in firefighting mode. You’re always reacting,” Yap said. “It’s like a tiger stalking you. You always have to be aware of it.”
The Chinese zodiac operates on a rotation of 12 signs, or animals. People entering a year whose sign is the same as their birth year’s are considered “in clash” and may have bad luck, according to feng shui.
While Chinese fortune tellers give tigers a conservative outlook this year, the zodiac sign that causes the most serious conflict is the monkey.
The most notable monkey in world politics is Ban. The South Korean “will face a lot of trouble this year,” according to Lo.
Other famous monkeys include Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Shanghai’s NBA star Yao Ming, singers Diana Ross, Celine Dion and actors Elizabeth Taylor, Tom Hanks, Michael Douglas, Owen Wilson and Daniel Craig.
American Tiger Woods isn’t a tiger nor a monkey, according to the lunar calendar. Born on December 30, 1975, the 14-time major winner is a rabbit.
But Woods’ birth date is associated with metal, which clashes with the presence of metal.
So after admitting to cheating on his wife and taking an indefinite leave from golf in December, he can expect more personal trouble this year, predictions say. “His long-term fortune is on the decline,” Lo said.
As for Obama, there are differing interpretations. His birthday is August 4, 1961, making him an ox.
According to Lo, the tiger is a lucky “nobleman” for people born in years ending in the digit “1″ and Obama’s birth date is associated with the natural element of earth, which is complementary with metal because minerals come from the earth.
“He will shine with flying colors,” Lo said, adding that the American leader would become more aggressive in pushing his agenda.”
Yap disagreed, saying that the presence of thunder and fire traditionally represented the “arrival of the king” – a metaphor for a fierce battle for leadership.
Yap called the Year of the Tiger a turning point for Obama, saying “he will have a bloody hard time this year. If he survives this year, the rest of his term will be no problem.”

Swinging wrinklies Jimenez and Watson defy the years

Swinging wrinklies Jimenez and Watson defy the years

Miguel Angel Jimenez and Tom Watson, boasting a combined age of 106, silenced golf’s young guns in the final round of the Dubai Desert Classic.
Spaniard Jimenez, 46, won the event with a par at the third extra hole after he and last year’s European number one Lee Westwood ended regulation play tied on 11-under on Sunday.

Miguel Angel Jimenez (R) of Spain, winner of the Dubai Desert Classic golf tournament, chats with first runner-up Lee Westwood of England, in Dubai February 7, 2010. [Photo/Agencies]
The 60-year-old Watson, making a rare European Tour foray, finished his debut appearance in the tournament with a four-under 68 to snatch a share of eighth place.
“Like good wines, with age (golfers) get better and better,” Jimenez told reporters after climbing 30 places to 30th in the world rankings.
“It’s difficult with these new guns like Rory (McIlroy), (Alvaro) Quiros, Westwood … all of these guys are long off the tee and it’s an advantage for them. But I’m still healthy and strong and can still play with the ball.”
Jimenez has always enjoyed himself off the course and likes to relax with an expensive cigar and a glass of Rioja but is also aware he needs to be as fit as a fiddle to keep up with the modern generation of golfers.
“The last three weeks I’ve been in the gymnasium almost every day,” said the Ryder Cup player.
“I used to work a little in the winter at home but this winter I did nothing so I brought my trainer here with me.
WATSON PRAISE
“I work a lot on the cardiovascular side and some abs and on the lumbar, that is the trick of the gym. Then the recovery afterwards I sit at the table and have a nice steak, a nice bottle of wine — you need to keep the balance.”
Jimenez, who has captured nine of his 16 European Tour victories since turning 40, spoke in glowing terms of Watson’s performance.
“He played impossible golf,” said the Spaniard. “It’s unbelievable. He is a great inspiration for professional golfers.”
Watson, who came close to achieving a golfing miracle when he lost to fellow American Stewart Cink in last year’s British Open playoff at Turnberry, felt he could have fared even better than eighth with some more local knowledge of the Emirates Golf Club.
“Looking back on the week there were a couple of holes that, if I had known just a bit better, I would have fared a little bit better,” said the eight-times major winner.
“But I also got some good breaks too. It was a learning experience in Dubai.
“To see this type of economy is spectacular … the amount of construction and the belief this is going to be an economic centre in the world. I enjoyed it very much.”

Czech Republic draws 1-1 with Germany in Fed Cup

Czech Republic draws 1-1 with Germany in Fed Cup

The Czech Republic drew 1-1 with Germany after the first day of the women’s team tennis event Fed Cup World Group I first round held in Brno on Saturday.
Petra Kvitova, Czech Republic, bt Andrea Petkovic, Germany, 6-4, 6-4.
The first singles:
Lucie Safarova, Czech Republich lost to Anna-Lena Groenefeld, Germany, 2-6, 3-6.

Injured Serena Williams out of Paris Indoor Open

Injured Serena Williams out of Paris Indoor Open

World number one Serena Williams has pulled out of next week’s Paris Indoor Open, due to a leg injury, organisers said here on Saturday.
Williams sustained the injury during her victory in the Australian Open.
The American won the Paris trophy twice in five appearances in 1999 and 2003.

Zheng finds out size not a problem

Zheng finds out size not a problem

Being thrashed by former world No 1 Justine Henin 6-1, 6-0 in the Australian Open semifinals in Melbourne showed China’s Zheng Jie not only the gap between herself and the world’s elite but also that smaller women can dominate the game too.
“I have given up on the idea of growing taller but playing against Henin, I realized that a player of moderate height can also play good tennis,” said the 1.64m Zheng on the sidelines of the celebration party held by the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour on Wednesday.
“Henin is slim and not very tall but plays strong tennis. I should work hard toward it as well. Of course, I have to make more of an effort than others.”
In a sport where height can play a huge role in success, the petite Zheng was never regarded as a “real” tennis prodigy, but the 26-year-old has proven herself to be one of the big names in China by repeatedly making breakthroughs.
In 2004, she became the first Chinese player to reach the last 16 at the French Open. Two years later, she and partner Yan Zi were crowned Grand Slam doubles champions at the Australian Open and Wimbledon.
She had stellar season in 2008 as she rebounded from injury-marred 2007 to reach her first Grand Slam singles semifinal, at Wimbledon, before being beaten by Serena Williams 6-2, 7-6 (5).
To achieve even better results, Zheng changed her serve during winter training sessions last year with renowned American coach Nick Bollettieri and the efforts have paid off.
“For anyone who has played tennis for 20 years, any change of technique is a big challenge but I think it was worth it for me to do that,” Zheng told China Daily. “The coach not only helped me in serving but also gave me confidence.
“He always told me ‘you like to play the key points very much and you can do very well in the key point’, which boosted my confidence. Although he only worked with me for about 10 days, he followed each of my matches on TV or the internet and emailed me after each one. At the end of each message he always wrote that I could play even better. I’m very grateful to him.”
Zheng boasts a powerful baseline game and sharp play at the net but had struggled with weak and inconsistent serves, which she feels prevented her from moving higher in the rankings.
Her determination to improve that facet of her game has won her a lot of respect from those who work with her.
“Zheng has no great physical advantages but her hardworking spirit has impressed me very much,” Chen Fangcan, who has helped Zheng with physical therapy, told China Daily. “In order to change her serve she had had to strengthen her leg and waist muscles. The practice is very tough but she manages to do it all the time. Her fighting spirit is the key to her success.”
Reaching the semis at Melbourne Park – with compatriot Li Na, Zheng, whose highest world ranking is 15, has broken into the top 20 again and now the next steps are to reach a Grand Slam final and win the crown.
“Those last two steps towards winning a Grand Slam will be very difficult and require even harder work,” Zheng said.
“If we can reach more quarters and semis in those competitions we will be more confident in our matches. Reaching the semis for the second time, I have got much more belief in myself. I know I can do that.”
Zheng is now recovering from a pulled thigh muscle and may be absent from China’s first-round Fed Cup match in Slovakia this weekend.
Her next competition is likely to be the Dubai Championships, which start on Feb 15.