"Now it becomes a debate and it is political to a degree. It is not what it is supposed to be."

ATP CEO Adam Helfant says there will be no action taken over Andre Agassi's admission of lying over his positive test for crystal meth in 1997. "We had a very frank discussion," DPA quoted Helfant saying. "I obviously expressed disappointment.

"We have learned a lot in 12 years."

Juan Martin del Potro, on his chances in London: "The favourites are still the same – Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray. I need to get more experience. I have to learn much to be like them."

Andre Agassi, on Good Day LA: "I think it's probably one of the greatest accomplishments in sports, me hiding a fake mullet."

Frederic Niemeyer has announced his retirement as a player and will begin coaching Canadian teenager Milos Raonic, who took Fernando Gonzalez to match point in a three-set struggle at Montreal this summer.

Andy Murray, in London, on Rafael Nadal: "If Nadal plays well, he’s very good, but people who saw his matches in Paris say he was struggling a bit and he said he wasn’t that happy with the way he is playing, either. So in some ways it would have been nicer to be in his box [round robin group] if he wasn’t playing well, but by the time it starts I am sure he will have had enough practice, and these courts will suit him quite well."

Roger Federer, speaking to the Independent, on Andy Murray: "when I play too well or too offensively I can take time away from him now. And I'm too physical, whereas in the beginning I couldn't do that. I couldn't get around backhands like I can now. Now I can mix up my game too well for him to get under my skin.

"I know what I can do and I know what he can do. When we both play well it's a close match, but I always feel it's the attacker who holds the key to success, so it's up to me whether I win or lose, not up to him. That's why I don't mind the match-up, to be honest."

A Swiss regulatory agency has ruled that Davidoff's sponsorship of the ATP event in Basel does not violate broadcast laws forbidding tobacco advertising.

Singles round robin groups for the ATP World tour finals:

"I don't remember any match in my career where I really used my mental resources and physical resources as much as in this match to stay focused, to stay in the present moment, to be aggressive. I needed to go and get that match. I shouldn't be happy with just waiting. I needed to be very precise and to be aggressive, and that is what made the difference."

Wednesday action at the Paris Indoors finishes at around 1:45 a.m. Thursday morning, with Andy Murray edging James Blake 6-4, 6-7(5), 7-6(4) to finish the day's schedule.

Earlier in the day, Marat Safin played his last career match, Rafael Nadal saved five match points in a three-hour, 14-minute struggle and Roger Federer fell to defeat in three sets.

Julien Benneteau stuns Roger Federer 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 in Federer's opening match at the Paris Masters. Federer has now lost his last two matches, having fallen to Novak Djokovic in the final of Basel, and has still never made it past the quarterfinals of the Paris Indoors.

Melanie Oudin joins Maria Sharapova on the entry list for next year's event in Memphis.

Rafael Nadal comes back from the the brink to defeat Nicolas Almagro 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5.  Almagro held five match points on serve at 6-3, 6-5 and served for the match again at 5-3 in the third set. Nadal experienced blister problems during the match, while  Almagro struggled with cramps.

Marat Safin calls it a career, receiving a huge ovation from the crowd after a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 defeat to Juan Martin del Potro in the second round of the Paris Masters. It was the two-time Grand Slam champ's last match on the men's tour.

"Now I have no schedule, no practices, no nothing," he said. "I belong to myself."

Safin summed himself rather debatably up as a "decent player," and added, "I've been great to everybody, even if I had a few fights with chair umpires."

Alicia Molik has been granted a wildcard into Hobart next January. It will be be the first WTA-level event of her comeback.

Maria Emilia Salerni has announced her retirement at the age of 26, partly prompted by injuries.

With Fernando Verdasco's second-round win in Paris, Marin Cilic and Radek Stepanek are out of contention for the year-end finals in London. Nikolay Davdenko, Verdasco, Robin Soderling, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Fernando Gonzalez are still in the running for the last two spots, with the latter three all needing to at least reach the final to have any chance.

Vera Zvonareva will undergo arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue on her right ankle, her agent says. She is expected to return in time for the beginning of next season.

Both Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse will appeal their one-year suspension to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Pilot Pen will end its 15-year sponsorship of New Haven after next year, the tournament has announced. The event plans to seek a new title sponsor.

Juan Martin del Potro, speaking to L'Equipe, on winning the U.S. Open: "I imagined in perfect detail that a Grand Slam victory would require a lot physicially and mentally, but I was not prepared for the aftermath... I hardly saw my mother and my sister. Only in the plane to Tokyo could I rest a bit."

Marat Safin, speaking to L'Equipe, on Andre Agassi: "OK, so he feels guilty? Then he should give back his titles, his money and his Grand Slams. If he's about fair play, he should go all the way. You know, the ATP have a bank account, he can pay them back if he wants to.

"I'm not defending the ATP, but what he said puts them in a bad position. The ATP allowed him to win lots of tournaments and lots of money and kept his secret, so why be bad to them?

Marat Safin wins his opening match at his farewell event, saving three match points to defeat Thierry Ascione 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3) at the Paris Masters.

Safin next plays Juan Martin del Potro. "I always came here to win but this time, frankly, I don't think I can," said Safin. "I'll just try to finish on a high note and say goodbye to everybody."

"I guess I have to retire and then after a few years I'll write an autobiography with some confessions," he joked.

Lleyton Hewitt's withdrawal from Paris was due to knee tendinitis. Juan Carlos Ferrero and David Ferrer have also pulled out of the event.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga says his wrist injury will not prevent him from defending his title at the Paris Indoors. "I played yesterday and today and it seems to be a-go," said Tsonga.

Andre Agassi's autobiography "Open" is at No. 3 in Amazon's bestseller list, behind Stephen King's "Under the Dome" and Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue."

Though officially released only on Monday, thanks to pre-orders "Open" has spent 14 days among the top 100 bestsellers on Amazon.

With 1,000 points available to the winner of the Paris Masters, the remaining contenders for the last two spots at the ATP year-end finals in London are:

Nikolay Davydenko Fernando Verdasco Robin Soderling Fernando Gonzalez Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Radek Stepanek Marin Cilic

3,540 points* 3,210 2,830 2,780 2,695 2,265 2,250

* standings courtesy of ATPtennis.com

The two highest-placed players in this list will qualify for London. Round-by-round points in Paris are:

W 1000   |   F 600  |   SF 360   |   QF 180     |   R16  90   |   R32  45   |    R64 10

Panasonic has signed a three-year deal to sponsor the Australian Open and lead-up events in Brisbane and Sydney.

The ATP tour is not likely to have a new lead sponsor to replace Mercedes by early next year, reports Sportsbusiness Journal.

WTA CEO Stacey Allaster on the whereabouts rule: "... together with the ATP we have been advocating through the International Tennis Federation, to WADA, to make procedural changes to the reporting structure of the whereabouts programme in competition... I think together with the ATP, we do believe that the procedures for reporting during competition could be modified. I think when the athletes are in competition it's easy for WADA to see where the athletes are."

Fabrice Santoro calls it a career, losing 6-4, 6-3 to James Blake in the Paris Masters.

"It's a beautiful defeat," said Santoro, "with a quality match against a good [opponent], Blake, with a good atmosphere and lots of people in the [stadium].

"... thirty years devoted to tennis. It's also thirty years that have passed very quickly. When you're passionate, you don't calculate the number of hours spent training, travelling, fighting on court. Everything comes naturally. Like today, I've always given the maximum.

"All aspects of my career will be missed: the adrenaline, the contact with the press, the public and the uncertainty of the profession... it must be 525 tournaments [I've played]. And I have lost 519 times, it's a lot (smiles).

"Today, I'm content that all this stops and I can start a new life, a normal life."

Santoro has not ruled out playing the Australian Open to mark Grand Slam appearances across four decades, but has said he considers this week's Paris Masters the official end of his career either way.

Yanina Wickmayer speaks to Belgian TV for the first time since her one-year suspension was announced. "I learned the news around 2:00 a.m. on Thursday night," Wickmayer told VRT's Sportweekend. "I think I woke up the whole hotel with my screams and I didn't stop crying for two days."

"It was not until June that I learned from the federation that my whereabouts had not been in order," she added. "Since July, my whereabouts have been in order daily and let's be clear: I have never failed or refused a test. I have been tested 10 to 15 times this year. I find it such a pity that my name is now associated with doping."

Andre Agassi, speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, on whether he took drugs during tournaments: "I never did because it would have been a disaster... Your heart rate runs high enough as it is but to have that kind of heart rate and to tell yourself to calm down and hit a second serve is literally impossible... Then there's the dehydration factor, the fact you can't drink a lot of water, you don't want to eat... You'd be lucky to last a set; it would not be physically possible to play a match without real health problems."

On lying to escape a doping ban, Agasi said, "I regret it, I'm ashamed of it and I could argue that had I owned up I would have learned faster and it would have helped me more.

"I should have owned up. There's no justification for lying but you're in a whirl..."

Novak Djokovic defeats Roger Federer in Federer's hometown, taking the Basel title with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 win in the final. Djokovic had saved three match points in the second set of his semifinal against Radek Stepnaek a day earlier, and also gone three sets against Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarterfinals.

Andy Murray wins Valencia, defeating Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-2. The tournament was Murray's first since the U.S. Open, and marks his sixth title of the season.

Italy completes a 4-0 whitewash of the United States to win the Fed Cup for the second time in three years. Final match results:

Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Alexa Glatch (USA) 6-3, 6-1
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) d. Melanie Oudin (USA) 7-6(2), 6-2
Flavia Pennetta (ITA) d. Melanie Oudin (USA) 7-5, 6-2
[Francesca Schiavone (ITA) v Alexa Glatch (USA) Not played]
Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci (ITA) d. Liezel Huber/Vania King (USA) 4-6, 6-3 (11-9)

Aravane Rezai wins Bali after Marion Bartoli retires 7-5 down with a left quad strain. Rezai will end the season inside the Top 30 for the first time, while Bartoli will finish outside the out Top 10 as a result.

Italy takes a formidable 2-0 lead against the United States after the opening day of play in the Fed Cup final.

Flavia Pennetta defeated Alexa Glatch 6-2, 6-1 and, after a two-hour rain delay, Francesca Schiavone won against Melanie Oudin 7-6(2), 6-2.

Down triple match point at 4-5 in the second set, Novak Djokovic comes back to win 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-2 against Radek Stepanek to reach the Basel final. Djokovic will face Roger Federer, who advanced by winning 7-6(7), 6-3 against Marco Chiudinelli -- a meeting of two Basel natives who were once ballboys at the event.

Marion Bartoli and Aravane Rezai will meet in the final of Bali after Bartoli defeated Kimiko Date 6-1, 6-3 and Rezai defeated Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 6-2, 6-3 in the semifinals.

Kim Clijsters, via Twitter, on the suspensions given to compatriots Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse:

"It[']s very unfortunate what’s happened to Yanina and Xavier this week... While they may not have followed correct administration, they did not register a positive doping offense either... To receive a one year ban because of this seems extremely harsh and is potentially career-ending for both of them... I hope the authorities and athletes can work together on finding better solutions to keep our sports clean."

The ITF has announced it will honor the suspensions given to Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse by NADO Flanders, the Belgian anti-doping body on whose behalf the suspensions were given. The ITF and NADO Flanders are both signatories to the WADA Code and expected to observe each other's sanctions.

Sam Querrey will resume practicing next week. "Just finished my last rehab session and my arm feels great," Querrey said via Twitter. "I can finally hit Monday."

Querrey has been sidelined since a freak accident at Bangkok in early October, when he sat on a glass table that gave way and cut his arm.

Andy Roddick has pulled out of next week's Paris Masters. Roddick has not played since hurting his knee at the Shanghai Masters. Richard Gasquet is also not taking part because of his hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport is scheduled for November 10.

The draw for the Paris Masters can be found here. Andy Murray and Juan Martin del Potro are together in the second quarter, with a potential semifinal against Roger Federer ahead. At the bottom of the draw, Rafael Nadal could meet defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals. Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko and Robin Soderling are in the third quarter.

Marat Safin will begin his farewell event against a qualifier, while Fabrice Santoro faces James Blake in what may be Santoro's final event. Tommy Haas, meanwhile, makes his tournament return after catching swine flu.

Draw for the Fed Cup final:

Saturday:

Flavia Pennetta (ITA) vs. Alexa Glatch (USA)
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) vs. Melanie Oudin (USA)

Sunday:

Flavia Pennetta (ITA) vs. Melanie Oudin (USA)
Francesca Schiavone (ITA) vs. Alexa Glatch (USA)
Sara Errani/Roberta Vinci (ITA) vs. Liezel Huber/Vania King (USA)

A tearful Xavier Malisse says his career is likely over after receiving a one-year suspension from a Belgian doping tribunal for not fulfilling his whereabouts requirements.

"I think it's the end of my career," said the 29-year-old Malisse. "A proceeding before CAS is very costly and lasts very long. I don't have the financial means to get into this fight.

"I don't know yet how we'll proceed but if the suspension is upheld, it means the end of my career."

Yanina Wickmayer's sometimes coach, Ann Devries, tells Belgian TV that Wickmayer "sounded shattered and hysterical and was in tears when I spoke to her over the phone."

"Just like that she will lose all that she has gained from several years of hard work. In a year's time she will have lost all her WTA points and will have to start again from zero," said Devries.

Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse both received one-year suspensions from a Flemish doping tribunal for not fulfilling whereabouts provisions. The provisions require athletes to give anti-doping authorities advance information about their location each day. Three violations of the rule constitute an antidoping violation.

Wickmayer and Malisse's lawyer said any appeal would have to be made to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). "The rules call for a suspension ranging from one to two years. My clients have received the minimum and there is no possible appeal," said Johnny Maeschalck. "The only appeal must be made in Lausanne [ where CAS is based], in another country in another language."

USTA president Lucy Garvin says a ruling on Serena Williams' outburst on the US Open is expected within two weeks, reports AP.

Andy Murray, on his offseason plans: "[Last year] I was coming back from [the heat in] Miami and going to Scotland for a few days over Christmas... it's cold; go to Doha, it's cold. It's like two weeks of bad weather and you go to Australia and you've got basically four or five days to get used to the heat again.

"I am looking forward to going to Australia early and making sure I'm over the jet lag and fully ready.

" I think doing it this way will work much better. I am going to spend Christmas in the States and then go straight over to Australia from there."

The Bali semifinals are as follows: Marion Bartoli vs. Kimiko Date Krumm and Aravane Rezai vs. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.

Date advanced when Yanina Wickmayer withdrew from the competition after receiving a one-year ban from Belgian anti-doping authorities on Thursday. Bartoli andvanced by beating Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-2 in round robin play on Friday, and Martinez Sanchez clinched her spot with a 7-6(4), 7-5 win over Samantha Stosur.

Two players save match points to advance Thursday at Basel.

Marin Cilic, trying to make up ground in the race for the London year-end finals, squeezed past Viktor Troicki 7-6(7), 6-7(8) 7-6(6), and Richard Gasquet defeated John Isner 4-6, 7-6(9), 6-2.

Novak Djokovic had no such trouble, shutting out Jan Hernych 6-0, 6-0.

With her one-year suspension taking force with immediate effect, it appears Yanina Wickmayer will not be able to continue playing this week at Bali. Vera Dushevina will replace Wickmayer for the round robin stage of the event.

Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse have been given one-year suspensions by a Belgian anti-doping tribunal for not complying with whereabouts requirements, reports Belgian news agency Belga. An appeal is allowed.

Wickmayer had been set to become the top-ranked Belgian in the WTA-rankings next week, overtaking Kim Clijsters. She is currently playing the WTA championships in Bali.

Earlier, the prosecution in the case had indicated that a suspension was unlikely because it intended to only ask the tribunal to deliver a warning. Wickmayer three times did not report her whereabouts to anti-doping authorities while Malisse twice did not report his whereabouts and also missed an unannounced test.

Melanie Oudin, who will be leading the U.S. team in the Fed Cup final against Italy this weekend, has won the inaugural Fed Cup by BNP Paribas Heart Award. The prize is awarded for courage and commitment in Fed Cup competition, and includes a $5,000 donation to a charity chosen by the winner. "[I]t is really wonderful to be able to donate $5,000 to Children’s at Egleston – an organization that helped save my little sister’s life," said Oudin.

Yet more reaction to Andre Agassi:

Gilbert Ysern, French federation technical director and former ATP executive: "It’s shocking... it is not good for the image of the game."

Ysern said Agassi would "probably not" have been asked to do the trophy presentation at the French Open this year had the relevations of meth use come out beforehand.

Fernando Verdasco, in Valencia: "He was my idol, all my life when I was a kid, and he will still be my idol.

"Everyone can make mistakes. My thoughts about Andre will not change because of this. He is a great person, he is always trying to help me and that for me is more important."

Joachim Johansson, writing on his blog: When I started playing on tour full-time in 2004, almost everyone said that the ATP concealed 'some' Agassi test... [I] encourage all readers not to buy Agassi's book because I think this was a cheap PR stunt and a way for him to no longer have to bear this burden."

James Blake, speaking to Tages Anzeiger (translated from German translation): "Yes, definitely [will read Agassi's book]. He is an inspirational figure and always treated me very well, so I want to know more about him and his life. The things which have officially become public suggest it's a fascinating book... I don't know any details [about the drugs-taking] and I don't know what was going through his head... I judge hin by the way he's treated me and the good things he's done for people." More >> 

Aravane Rezai is the Group D semifinalist in Bali after winning her first two round robin Group D matches, while Magdalena Rybarikova and Agnes Szavay have lost their first two round robin matches. Bali round-robin results from Thursday:

Group A: Shahar Peer d. Magdalena Rybarikova 6-1, 7-6(4)
Group B: María José Martínez Sánchez d Agnes Szavay 4-6, 6-4, 6-0
Group C: (WC) Kimiko Date Krumm d. Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-4, 6-3
Group D: Aravane Rezai d. Melinda Czink 6-3, 7-5

The lineup for the Hopman Cup mixed team competition next January is as follows:

AUS: Samantha Stosur, Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)
ESP: Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, Tommy Robredo
ROM: Sorana Cirstea, Victor Hanescu
USA: Melanie Oudin. John Isner
RUS: Elena Dementieva, Igor Andreev
GBR: Laura Robson, Andy Murray
GER: Sabine Lisicki, Philipp Kohlschreiber
+ winners of the Asian wildcard playoffs

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga stops with a wrist problem down 6-7(3), 6-0, 3-0 to Mikhail Youzhny in Valencia. The injury puts Tsonga in some doubt for the Paris Masters, where he is the defending champion.

James Blake loses 7-6(4), 6-7(6), 6-4 to Jeremy Chardy in the first round of Basel.

Vina del Mar will move to Santiago next year, coinciding with the 200th anniversary of Chilean independence.

Results of Wednesday round-robin play in Bali:

Group A: Marion Bartoli d. Magdalena Rybarikova 6-4, 6-4
Group B: Samantha Stosur d. Agnes Szavay 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
Group C: Yanina Wickmayer d. Kimiko Date Krumm 7-6(5), 6-3
Group D: Aravane Rezai d. Sabine Lisicki 1-6, 6-3, 6-4

Andy Murray has signed a five-year deal with adidas worth about £2-3 million annually, replacing current clothing sponsor Fred Perry. Murray will begin wearing adidas at the beginning of next season.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, part-owner of his hometown event in Valencia, loses 2-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 to Pablo Cuevas in the first round of the tournament.

After being sidelined with a wrist injury, Andy Murray returns to competition with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Daniel Gimeno-Traver in Valencia.

Maria Sharapova is now dating NBA basketballer Sasha Vujacic of the LA Lakers, reports tennisreporters.net.

French Open officials have again said that they will consider moving the tournament if their expansion project for the grounds is not given the go-ahead by the Paris city council. "It seems that the mayor's entourage has become more hostile to our project," said FFT general director Gilbert Ysern. "Add to that the opposition of the residents and we are now forced to look for other options, including that of leaving the premises."

Reports in September indicated that a site near EuroDisney was being considered.