Djokovic will attend next week's opening ceremony at the Eurovision song contest, which is being held in Serbia this year.

Comeback updates this week...

•    Jelena Dokic won the the Caserta challenger, her second win a row after winning the Florence challenger last week.

•    Kimiko Date-Krumm lost in the quarterfinals of the Kurume challenger 6-3, 6-2 to Kai-Chen Chang. This is Date's third tournament in as many weeks.

•    Elena Bovina lost in the quarterfinals of the Saint Gaudens challenger 5-7, 6-4, 7-6(6) to Petra Cetkovska.

•    Guillermo Coria lost in the second round of the Aarhus challenger 7-6(3), 6-3 to Ivan Navarro.

•    Younes El Aynaoui lost in the second round of the Bordeaux challenger 7-6(8), 6-7(2), 6-3 to Marc Giquel.

•    Mariano Puerta lost in the quarterfinals of the Bradenton challenger 6-2, 6-4 to Jesse Levine.

•    Dominik Hrbaty lost in the first round of the Marrakech challenger 6-4, 6-1 to Martin Vassallo Arguello.

Sharapova pulls out of Rome with a calf strain, saying she expects to be fit for the French Open.

Withdrawals from Sharapova and Serena in conscutive days means that two out of the last six singles matches of the tournament were walkovers. Last week, three of the last four matches in the men's events ended with retirements.

The final wildcard for Portschach next week has been awarded to Verkerk ahead of Gasquet.

Serena pulled out of Rome with a back injury but says she expects to be fit for the French Open

Tennis Australia is about to confirm that the women's final will be held at night next year, reports the Herald Sun. The men's final switched to a Sunday slot three years ago.

More players playing the Bordeaux challenger give their account of the fire at the player hotel to the ATP. "The phone rang and reception said the fire alarm was going off - I couldn't hear it - and that I should leave the building. I got my bag with my passport just in case," Rik de Voest told ATPtennis.com. "Then I smelled smoke and started to hurry. I pulled my room key out as I opened the door, which shut off all the power to my room, and all of a sudden it was pitch black and I was surrounded by a mass of smoke. I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. So I did what I've seen people do in the movies - I dropped to the ground and crawled out on my hands and knees."

Eduardo Schwank, in whose room the fire began, lost most of the possesssions he had been travelling with. "For much of Monday I was in a daze, thinking about how I would get my passport, documents and laptop in order. I also lost the prize money I earned from winning my last tournament, a Challenger event in Rome," he said.

As earlier reported, Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana and Lucas Arnold's wife and child also had to escape.

French Open wildcards:

      Wayne Odesnik (USA), Eric Prodon (FRA), Olivier Patience (FRA), Jérémy Chardy (FRA), Robert Smeets (AUS), Adrian Mannarino (FRA), Jonathan Eysseric (FRA), Gustavo Kuerten (BRA)

Olivia Sanchez (FRA), Séverine Brémond (FRA), Stéphanie Foretz (FRA), Mathilde Johansson (FRA), Samantha Stosur (AUS), Youlia Fedossova (FRA), Violette Huck (FRA), Madison Brengle (USA)

The Spanish players protesting the Spanish federation's decision-making over the choice of a Davis Cup site have publicized the negative text messages sent to them by federation president Pedro Munoz, report Spanish press. Nadal, Moya, Ferrer and Ferrero are among the eight players who have signed a letter sent to federation executives describing the text messages.

Reactions to Henin's retirement:

Maria Sharapova: "I don't think she's retiring from tennis because she doesn't like tennis. She's 25 years old and has achieved so much in her career and has had incredible success on the court. If I'm 25 and I won, I don't know how many Grand Slams she's won, seven or something, I'd call it quits as well. You know, I wouldn't be disappointed leaving the sport, because obviously there's a lot more to life than tennis. She's had a very long career, and you never know, maybe one day she'll be back.

"She's done incredible things for the sport. She's shown that without being the strongest or the tallest girl on the tour she's been able to win so many matches in so many tournaments and Grand Slams. She's an inspiration to many young girls coming up. Like I said, there are so many things in life, and I'm sure she wants to explore them as well. I definitely don't blame her for retiring.

"No matter what days you have off or how long you have off, you're always thinking about consequences to what you're doing and how that's going to affect your training and performance. It's tough to be able to do what we do day in and day out. There's only a certain amount of time. Everybody is different and everybody can withstand it as much as they can. But I totally understand where she's coming from. Like I said, I don't think she has anything to regret. She's had a great career. If I were in her shoes, I would probably do the same thing."

Amelie Mauresmo: "I was surprised like everyone. At no moment has she expressed any kind of fatigue. The question I ask is why she didn't take a break. It's true that with her method of [play] -  lot of investment in the game, but also a lot of tension and fear - you can understand that fatigue would set in. "

Roger Federer: "I have only just heard, but it is a shock for the tennis world, especially as she is number one at the moment

"I am sure she has her reasons, but it's particularly surprising as it's only a few weeks before Roland Garros, where she has had so much success, and Wimbledon is later this summer, which she has never won.

"It's of course, a shame she is out of the game... She is a special player, she can play on any surface, which is unusual in the women's game. And it's remarkable that she has won so many tournaments because she is small and all the newcomers in the womens game are tall, which gives them an advantage."

"I couldn't imagine deciding out of the blue to retire, especially if I was number one. She has had a couple of injuries and there is this history with her ex-husband, it might be all in all too much for her and she might not want to be on the tour anymore."

Serena Williams: "She was a great champion and she gave me a world of trouble, so I hope the best for her. She had a great year last year.  Gosh, what can you say about such a champion? I don't think we have enough time."

Venus Williams: "I don't know what the details are, but I think if she made that decision then it's probably the best decision for her. You know, of course my prayers are with her so that way she can continue to lead the life that's best for her."

Ana Ivanovic: "She  was a great player and achieved so much. She brought a lot to the women's game. She had completely different game than any other girl on the tour probably. She worked really hard and last year she had amazing results. You know, it's just I'm sorry to hear this thing, but it's her own feeling and her own decision... She was No. 1 for so long, so she had very successful career.

"Definitely, the news is very surprising, but my goals haven't changed about my position, where I stand. I still have to work hard for it."

WTA CEO Larry Scott: "Justine Henin will be remembered as one of the all-time great champions in women’s tennis, and a woman who made up for her lack of size with a will to win and fighting spirit that was second to none.  It is rare that an athlete leaves at the very top of her game in this day and age, but Justine has always played by her own rules, in the very best sense of those words.

History will remember Justine for not only her seven Grand Slam titles and three years finishing as the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s World No. 1, but for one of the most graceful backhands the sport has ever seen and an ability to overcome any and all obstacles placed in her way on the tennis court and off.

This is a sad day for our sport and for her millions of fans around the world, but I know that I speak for so many in wishing Justine the very best in her future endeavors and hope that she will stay connected to the sport to which she gave so much.”

Henin announced her retirement at a press conference held in Belgium on Wednesday afternoon. "It's the end of a wonderful adventure but it's something I have been thinking about for a long time," she said.

Koubek will undergo back surgery on Friday in hopes of being able to resume his career.

Perry Rogers has been voted off the ATP board, reports Tennis Week.

Michael Chang and Ivan Lendl are taking part in initial qualifying for the US Open in golf.

Belgian press are speculating that Henin may intend to take an extended break from tennis following her defeat to Safina. "It is, for now, a simple rumor," said a story in La Libre. "But there is no smoke without fire."

"I have a little less fire," Henin said in Berlin. "I don't know if my motivation is broken, but I lack resources."

The back injury that led Pete Sampras to withdraw from a seniors' event in Boston last week has also put his scheduled exhibitions in South America on hold. Sampras was scheduled to compete in Santiago, Buenos Aires and San Paolo from May 18-25.

Hewitt is a question mark for the French Open and Wimbledon because of an ongoing hip injury that has kept him off the courts. "The hip is starting to feel a little better but I'm yet to fully test it out on court," he said in a statement. "The specialist did a couple more tests today but the results won't be back for a few days.

"Once I get those, I can make a decision on the French Open and the grasscourt season."

A fire at the players' hotel in Bordeaux resulted in Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana, together with Lucas Arnold's wife and child, having to fight through smoke to escape, reports the Bangkok Post.

Nadal says he won't be surprised if he's passed in the rankings by Djokovic sometime over the next couple of months."The logical thing is that he goes past me here in Hamburg, or at Roland Garros or Wimbledon," said Nadal. "If I'm number three, I'm number three. When it happens I just have to accept it and fight to get the position back."

Nadal is the longest-serving No. 2 in men's tennis, having held the position since first reaching it on July 25, 2005.

Djokovic goes into Hamburg needing to earn 225 ranking points more than Nadal to take over the second spot in the world rankings. The two are scheduled to meet in the semifinals - should the meeting take place, the winner would emerge as the second-ranked player in the world. After winning Rome, Djokovic said he wanted to finish the year as No. 1

Nadal also voiced his displeasure at the Spanish federation's decision to overrule its players and choose Madrid as the site of the Davis Cup semifinal against the United States in September. "We never had any problem with playing in Madrid" he said. "But we can't accept that the president told us a hundred times that we were going to decide, and then we don't decide... What you can't do now is keep saying we're the clear favourites."

Sharapova moves up to No. 2 in the WTA rankings, displacing Ivanovic.

Safina pulls out of Rome

ESPN, USTA confirm deal to broadcast the US Open next year in the start of a six-year deal. ESPN2 will carry more than 100 hours of live tennis from the US Open.

The bulk of the US Open was previously broadcast on USA network, which will wrap up its coverage of the event this year.

Safin qualifies for Hamburg, defeating Korolev 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(5). Safina won Berlin for her first Tier I title on the same day. "I am really pleased for him, as well as myself," she said. "Before we left to come to Germany we had a bit of a fight because he said I was doing everything wrong... But look, brother - I am on the right path."

Wawrinka jumps 14 spots to No. 10 in the ATP rankings

Roddick and Stepanek pull out of Hamburg, meaning that neither semifinal ends in a finished match

Mauresmo pulls out of Rome

Dokic wins the Florence challenger, defeating Lucic in the quarterfinals

Roddick is a question mark for Hamburg after retiring down 3-0 against Wawrinka in the Rome semifinals. "I felt a little something last night in my back when I was getting treatment. Then, one wrong movement and I had a complete spasm," he said."I probably won't be able to hit the next couple of days."

Mauresmo is doubtful for Rome because of a rib injury that also led her to pull out of Berlin

Comeback updates:

•      Kimiko Date-Krumm lost  6-1 6-7(5) 6-4 to Aiko Nakamura in the second round of the Fukuoka challenger.

•      Mirjana Lucic and Jelena Dokic faced off in the quarterfinals of the Florence challenger, with Dokic winning 3-6, 7-5, 6-2. Dokic then won 6-3, 6-3 over Anne Schaefer in the semifinals.

•      Alexandra Stevenson lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to Christina McHale in the quarterfinals of the Indian Harbour Beach challenger.

•      Karolina Sprem lost 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 to Severine Bremond in the quarterfinals of the Zagreb challenger.

•      Elena Baltacha gave Evgeniya Rodina a walkover in the second round of the Zagreb challenger

•      Younes El Aynaoui lost 6-4, 6-4 to Adrian Cruciat in the second round of the Ostrava challenger

Henin has pulled out of Rome with fatigue.

Volandri is doubtful for Hamburg and the French Open because of a potentially career-threatening knee injury.

The WTA Tour and ESPN announce that they will offer live and on-demand streaming of matches from the following WTA events at ESPN360.com:


May 8 – 11               Berlin            Qatar Telecom German Open        9 matches
May 12 – 18             Rome             Internazionali BNL d’Italia           12 matches
June 19 -23              Eastbourne     International Women’s Open        4 matches
July 28-Aug 3           Montreal         Rogers Cup                                9 matches
Sept. 20 – 21           Tokyo             Toray Pan Pacific Open               3 matches
Sept. 26 -28             Beijing            China Open                                4 matches
Sept. 30 – Oct. 5      Stuttgart         Porsche Tennis Grand Prix        15 matches
Oct. 6 -12                Moscow          Kremlin Cup                             11 matches
Oct. 14 – 19             Zurich             Zurich Open                               9 matches
Oct. 23 – 30             Linz               Generali Ladies Linz                    9 matches
Nov. 3 – 9                Doha              Sony Ericsson Championships   15 matches

The finals of these events will also be streamed live on www.sonyericssonwtatour.com.

After losing 7-5, 6-1 to Ferrero at Rome, Nadal says he was unsure whether he would even be able to play the match because of a painful right foot. "I was in the doctor's yesterday... They put some anesthetic cream," he said. "Today in the morning when I wake up I say it's impossible to play. Later, I come here, to prepare in practice.

"Anyway, it's tough," he added. "I can't put the legs on the floor with my power. I can't put the ball long, so every time I play very short because I don't have power in the legs."

Nadal, who said the problem began on Sunday night after the Barcelona final, observed that his performance demonstrated his earlier warnings about the gruelling clay schedule. "The calendar is impossible, no?" he said. "I said for me going to be impossible four weeks in a row playing well... Finally they see it's impossible, no?

"Just congratulate Juan Carlos, because this is an important win for him... he's a nice guy and a very good player."

The top Spanish players have signed a public letter saying they will not do any promotional activities for the Spanish federation until the dispute over the location of the Davis Cup semifinals is resolved. The federation favors holding the semifinal tie against the Unisted States in Madrid, while a majority of the players want a location with a lower altitude.

Del Potro has torn a muscle in his back and is likely to miss the French Open, reports the Times. He retired in the third set of his first-round match against Murray in Rome.

Tsonga loses his opening match at Rome, his first after being sidelined with a knee injury. Tsonga came from a break down in and held three match points in the third-set tiebreak before falling to Simon 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(8). "I have nothing to be embarassed about," said Tsonga. "I wasn't good in the first set but after that I was able to play my game.

"Plus, I felt no pain in my knee, that's why I [am happy] despite the defeat."

There is disagreement between the Spanish players and the tennis federation on where to hold the Davis Cup semifinal against the United States, report Spanish press. The federation favors Madrid, but a majority of the potential team members want to play at a location with less altitude. Madrid is 600 meters above sea level.

Spanish sporting newspaper Marca reports Davis Cup captain Emilio Sanchez has threatened to resign permanently over the dispute unless the players' views are considered.

Del Potro suffered a back injury running for a dropshot in a tempestuous match against Murray at Rome. After receiving treatment, he retired in tears at 5-7 6-4, 1-0.

A back injury had also caused him to retire from a match at the Australian Open and kept him off the tour until Miami.

Venus' agent Carlos Fleming says Venus is still planning to compete at Rome and the French Open, reports tennisreporters.net. Venus has not played since pulling out of Amelia Island and Charleston, and recent rumors suggested she was likely to miss the French Open. Fleming said Venus took time off for preventitive check-ups on her knee and shoulder, and is not suffering from anemia.

Golovin loses her WTA comeback 7-6, 6-2 to Wozniacki.

A recent LTA announcement that it would only reccomend Wimbledon wildcards for British players in the top 250 has left them with only one candidate, reports the BBC website. In addition, No. 241 Jamie Baker is recovering from a serious illness and may not be ready to return to competition in time.

Mauresmo pulls out of Berlin with a rib injury.

Playing the first event of her mini-comeback, Kimiko Date reached the final of the Gifu challenger before losing 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 to Tamarine Tanasugarn. Date won the doubles with 16-year-old Kurumi Nara.

Berlin draw here.

Rome draw here.

Golovin loses 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 at the Cagne-sur-Mer challenger to Ani, her first match following an operation to remove a cyst. "I could not always serve well because of worry about the stomach," she told French sports newspaper L'Equipe, adding that she still feels lingering pain around the area at times.

Golovin plans to play in Berlin next week.

Hewitt pulls out of Rome with an ongoing hip injury

Tsonga, having avoided knee surgery, plans to return in Rome next week.

In Barcelona, Nadal has again voiced his strong objections to a crowded clay court calendar. "I think it's completely impossible to play at one's best level for all four tournaments - Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Rome and Hamburg," he said. "You just have to accept this situation."

He attacked the ATP's decision to shorten the clay season by one week this year to accomodate other scheduling conflicts. "These people are destroying Europe and Europe used to be a foundation of the tour," said Nadal. "I have some email conversations with these people, but it is true that they end up doing what they like and I am getting tired of it all."

Wednesday comeback updates:

        • El Aynaoui won his first-round main draw match at Munich against Sidorenko 6-4, 7-6(6)

        • Verkerk lost to Bellucci 6-3, 6-3 at the Tunis challenger

        • Karatancheva lost her second-round match at Fes to Medina Garrigues 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-1

        • Kimiko Date qualified for the Gifu challenger and won her first-round match against Fujiwara 2-6, 6-4, 6-4

Henin's father Jose has published a book called "Justine, ma fille, ma championne" ("Justine, my daughter, my champion").

Sharapova pulls out of Berlin

Nishikori signs a three-year deal with Sony

Munich suffered another blow as fifth seed Haas pulled out the event with an ongoing shoulder injury, joining compatriot and defending champion Kohlschreiber, who pulled out earlier in the day with the flu. The tournament has now lost four of its original top five seeds. Tsonga, Gasquet and Berdych withdrew earlier.

Anastasia Myskina gave birth to her first son on Monday night, report Russian press.

Nishikori's entry into the top 100 after winning the Bermuda challenger exceeded his expectations, he says: "I wanted to reach the top 100 before Wimbledon." The Japanese teen is now targeting a spot in the Beijing Olympics.

Coria says he was happy with his effort during a first-round loss at Barcelona, unlike his previous two matches. "Today I felt like a tennis player again," said the former French Open finalist.

Defending champ Kohlschreiber has pulled out of Munich with the flu. "I was quite startled by the withdrawal, but Philipp has withdrawn with a virus," said tournament director Patrick Kuehen. "With three or four top seeds not turning up here, it is a bit deflating, especially with the defending champion being one of them now."

Kohlschrieber is the eighth player to pull out of the event, with earlier withdrawals including Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Richard Gasquet and Tomas Berdych. Marat Safin, who initially planned to play qualifying, was given a wildcard.

Rain also affected play on Tuesday.

Tuesday comeback updates:

        • Coria lost his first round match at Barcelona 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to Gabashvili

        • Dokic lost her opening match at Fez to Arn 6-4, 6-2

        • Verkerk defeated de Chaunac 7-6, 7-6 at the Tunis challenger

Youzhny, who retired during his opening match at Monte Carlo with a neck injury, may be out for a month, according to Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpishchev. As a result, Russia may not field a team for the World Team Cup at Dusseldorf.

Monday comeback updates:

        • Dokic qualified for Fes, defeating Larsson 1-6, 6-2, 6-3

        • Sprem lost 6-3, 6-0 to Kanepi in Prague

        • El Aynaoui defeated Silva 6-3, 6-4 to qualify for Munich

        • Karatantcheva qualified for Fes, defeating Baltacha 7-5, 6-2

        • Molik qualified for Prague, defeating Hlavackova 5-7, 7-5, 6-4

Federer has signed a multi-year deal with Mercedes-Benz China. Part of the agreement involves helping promote the company's junior tennis program, which is run in co-operation with the Chinese tennis federation.

"I look forward to helping them grow their business while increasing the popularity of tennis in China," said Federer.

Mercedes-Benz will end its role at a major ATP sponsor at the end of this year.

Kimiko Date wins her first two qualifying matches at the Gifu futures in three sets. "It will take a while for my muscles to get used to it all," said Date, 37, who is attempting a limited comeback after retiring 12 years ago.

Notable Fed Cup results:

        • Russia completed a 3-0 victory at home against the U.S. The  U.S. team was missing its four top players while the contrasting depth of the Russian team was marked by the fact that three different players scored each of the three live singles victories. One Saturday, Anna Chakvetadze defeated Vania King 6-4, 7-5 and Svetlana Kuznetsova defeated Ahsha Rolle 6-2, -1, and Vera Zvonareva battled past King on Sunday with 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 win. The final score for the tie was 3-2.

        • Spain shocked hosts China with a 3-0 victory on indoor Rebound Ace in Beijing. Carla Suarez Navarro upset Shuai Peng 6-3, 7-6(4), and Nuria Llagostera Vives recorded back-to-back wins over Jie Zheng 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday and Peng 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday. Chinawas bidding to become the first Asian nation to reach the Fed Cup final. Spain, which also won an away tie against Italy in the first round, will bid for its sixth Fed Cup title against Russia in September. The final score for the tie was 4-1.

       • In the World Group II playoffs, Serbia recorded a 3-0 victory over hosts Croatia. With two top 5 players in Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic, Serbia is well-placed to reach the World Group next year and then be in a position to compete for the cup the following season. Ivanovic sat out the opening singles with illness but saw her 268-ranked teammate Ana Jovanovic secure the first point for Serbia by defeating the 152-ranked Jelena Kostanic Tosic. Jankovic raced past 150-ranked Nika Ozegovic to put Serbia up 2-0 at the end of Saturday, and Ivanovic returned for the reverse singles with a 7-5, 6-1win over Ozegovic.

       • Also in the World Group II playoffs, Switzerland defeated Austria 3-2. The teams were tied after the singles, with Sybille Bammer winning both her matches and Tamira Paszek losing three-set encounters against Patty Schnyder and Stefanie Voegele. The doubles proved to be a rout as Patty Schnyder and Emmanuelle Gagliardi defeated Melanie Klaffner and Yvonne Meusberger 6-0, 6-1.

       • The French will remain in World Group I after a 4-0 victory over Japan in Tokyo. Amelie Mauresmo and Virginie Razzano both won their two singles matches in straight sets. The final score of the tie was 4-1.

       • The Czech Republic returned to World Group I with a 3-2 victory over hosts Israel in the playoffs, with Iveta Besenova and Kveta Peschke defeating Shahar Peer and Tsipi Obziler 6-3, 6-4. Peer also lost both her singles matches in straight sets.

Gasquet and Tsonga pull out of Munich.

Ten Spanish cities have bid for the right to host the Davis cup semifinals against the US, says the Spanish tennis federation. The cities are Barcelona, Benidom, Gijon, Jerez de la Frontera, Madrid, Malaga, Marbella, Murcia, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santander.

Blake and Murray have taken wildcards into Barcelona. Murray suffered a one-sided defeat to Djokovic in the third round of Monte Carlo after withdrawing from Valencia the previous week with a virus. Blake was not expected to compete on European clay until Rome in two weeks' time.

The two other Barcelona wildcards were announced earlier, with one going to Juan Carlos Ferrero and the other to Mario Ancic.

Safin will contest Munich qualifying next week. Tournament officials said they did not receive a request for a wildcard.

Sandra Mamic on the Croatian Fed Cup team facing the Serbian team of Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic: "We have a chance if four of us take to the court and play one of them in the singles."

Jan-Michael Gambill tells the Spartanburg Herald-Journal that he plans to start an acting career. "I’m going out to Los Angeles next month to try to pursue (acting) more seriously," he said. "I’ve studied it a bit and been on the set of a few different things. But I’ve never given it 100 percent."

Querrey will spend the next three weeks working on his conditioning with Agassi's former trainer Gil Reyes, reports ESPN. The two worked together for a week ahead of Monte Carlo.

Charlie Pasarell, ATP board member and part-owner of Indian Wells, tells tennisreporters.net that he backs the changes being pushed by ATP CEO Etienne De Villiers, which have faced opposition from the players. "None of these changes are being put in place to hurt the players. It's to make the sport more attractive to the fans – the people who buy tickets. Etienne raised prize money another 50 percent," he said. "How could the players be unhappy about that?"

Dent, hoping to make a comeback after a third back surgery, is playing an invitational event at the Country Club of Spartanburg.

Zvonareva is in Moscow and may play in the Fed Cup semifinals for Russia. She was not named to the original team, which consisted of Kuznetsova, Chakvetadze, Safina and Vesnina.

Jamie Baker is recovering after suffering from a dangerous viral blood problem, reports Scotland's Herald.

Malisse will not contest French Open qualifying, opting for a challenger in Casablanca to try to rebuild his ranking.

Federer rebounds from 5-1 down in the third set against Ramirez Hidalgo to win 6-1, 3-6, 7-6(1). "He played so badly in the first set that he almost faked me out," said Federer.

Roddick and Blake attend Fish's bachelor party in Las Vegas.

Gasquet has pulled out of the doubles in Monte Carlo with pain in his back and will make a decision tomorrow about whether to participate in the singles. The news exacerbates France's woes in neighbouring Monte Carlo this week: French players went 1-7 in their first-round matches, with Monfils the only one to reach the second round.

Before the event began, Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulled out with a knee injury that may also prevent him from playing the French Open.

After a long struggle with knee injuries, former French Open semifinalist Clarisa Fernandez retires.

Vakulenko is in the process of switching from Ukrainian to Spanish citizenship, reports Spanish sports newspaper Marca.

Hantuchova has an ankle injury that will prevent her from playing Fed Cup this weekend and is expected to keep her out for three weeks.

Fish has committed to the ATP event in Washington this summer, confirming that he will miss the Olympics. His entry into New Haven, which is scheduled the week after the Beijing Games, had indicated that the 2004 silver medalist would not be taking part. Roddick has also announced that he will not be playing the Olympics.

Isner, last year's Washington finalist, has also committed to return and would have been unlikely to make the rankings cutoff for the Olympics.

Several former top 15 players took part in challengers last week. Younes El Anyanoui won in Chiasso, Switzerland and former French Open finalist Martin Verkerk in Athens, both as wildcards.

Three-time French Open champ Gustavo Kuerten continued his farewell tour by reaching the second round of a challenger in his hometown of Florianapolis, which offered free admission for his opening match.

Mariano Puerta, another French Open finalist, lost in the opening round of the Mexico City challenger to Geroge Bastl. Though he reached the final of another challenger in Mexico last month, Puerta has gone winless in this other four events this year.

Ivanovic has been nominated by the US State Department for its 2008 International Women of Courage Award, reports her official website.

Monte Carlo draw here.

Kuerten reached the second round of his hometown Florianapolis challenger before losing 7-5, 7-6(2) to Franco Ferreiro.

Tsonga will miss Monte Carlo with a knee injury that prevented him from playing Davis Cup last weekend. After receiving treatment for the injury, he will undergo more medical tests next week. "I have to wait for ten days to see how the knee will react," he said. "One thing is for sure, I have not crossed out Roland Garros. I'm keeping hope because the doctors have told me it may go without being operated."

Three of the four Monte Carlo wildcards have been awarded, going to Safin, Kuerten and Lisnard.

Berdych will be begin rehab on his injured ankle next week and expects to return in time for the French Open. He strained a ligament during Davis Cup play last weekend.

ESPN extends its deal to broadcast Wimbledon for the next six years

Blake after defeating 18-year-old Nishikori to set up a match with 15-year-old Harrison: "I feel like I'm back in a junior tournament."

The US will send a severely depleted team consisting of Vania King, Asha Rolle, Liezel Huber and Madison Brengle to Russia for the Fed Cup semifinals. Serena and Venus Williams' decision to skip the tie has been known for some weeks, with Lindsay Davenport also subseqently deciding not to play. Ashley Harkleroad, recovering from an operation, is off the tour till May.

The Russians will be represented by Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anna Chakvetadze, Dinara Safina and Elena Vesnina.

Davis Cup World Group playoffs draw here.

French tennis federation head Christian Bimes criticized Gasquet's refusal to play the fourth match of France's Davis Cup quarterfinal against the United States, saying, "You have to make the players understand that they need to fight, to make sacrifices, even if they are undermined by an injury... [Davis Cup captain] Guy Forget did what he could but next time, we'll have to thump the table to make ourselves clear."

John Lloyd's contract as Great Britain's Davis Cup captain has been extended for three more years.

The establishment of equal prize money at all four Grand Slams last year will be named the Greatest Sports Moment of 2007 at the Women's Sports Foundation Billie awards.

Pete Sampras will play the seniors' championship at Royal Albert Hall in December, as well as an event in San Paolo in May. He is also scheduled to play three exhibition matches in South America in May.

Serena on the Charleston draw, which is now missing Henin and has Sharapova drawn in the same quarter as Serena: "I'll play anybody with the exception of Nadal, Federer and Santoro. Other than that, I'm open for anybody."

Federer is at Estoril with well-known coach Jose Higueras, according to on-site reports. The length and details of the arrangement are not yet known.

Higueras has also been working with Ginepri this season.

Davenport pulls out of an anticipated semifinal with Sharapova at Amelia Island because of illness

Murray pulls out of Valencia with a virus

Henin pulls out of Charleston with a knee injury

David Sanguinetti retires

The Tennis Channel has been sold to the ATP. Previous reports have suggested the ATP is planning to either remove it from the calendar or move the event to South Africa. Delray Beach is expected to take its spot in the schedule.

Mirza will undergo wrist surgery this week which will keep her off the tour for four weeks.

Vaidisova has hired David Felgate as her coach, reports Nick Bollettieri's blog.

Venus is attending the Masters in Augusta with her boyfriend, golfer Hank Kuehne. Kuehne's brother is competing in the tournament.

Venus pulled out of Amelia Island and Charleston with a "medical issue" but would not give further details.

Hewitt on ranking points being awarded for Davis Cup: "Rankings are there for individual success, and obviously if you come from a smaller nation and you're not able to get into the world group at some stage, it's probably not the fairest thing to have points in Davis Cup."

Online betting firm bwin has filed a lawsuit against the French tennis federation for defamation, reports Australian wire service AFA. Earlier this year, the French federation moved to try to to ban online firms from offering bets on French Open matches.

Venus has pulled out of Charleston but hopes to play in Rome

Tsonga pulls out of France's Davis Cup tie against the US with a knee injury.

The ITF and ATP announce the schedule and ranking points structure for Davis Cup, to come into effect in 2009:

Schedule
2009-2011: Week before Indian Wells, week after Wimbledon, week after US Open, week after year-end championships
20012: Two weeks after Australian Open, week after Miami, week after US Open, week after year-end championships
2013: Week after Australian Open, week after Miami, week after US Open, week after year-end championships

Ranking points for singles
Playoff round: 5 points for match won
Playoff round: 10 points for match won
1st round: 40 points for each match won (10 for each match lost)
Quarterfinals: 65 points for each match won
Semifinals: 70 points for each match won
Final: 75 points for each match won

Bonuses for the winning team: 75 points for each player who wins 7 matches
                                                 125 points for each player who wins 8 matches

A player who has not played the preceding tie will be awarded points based on the previous tie (i.e. a player who did not play in the first round will receive 40 points for a quarterfinal win, not 65 points). Points will drop off cumulatively a year after the last result and no points will be awarded for dead rubbers.

Ranking points for doubles
Playoff round: 10 points for win
First round: 50 points for match won (10 for match lost)
Quarterfinals: 80 points for each match won
Semifinals: 90 points for each match won
Final: 95 points for each match won

Bonus for winning team: 35 points for a team that wins 4 matches

Daniela Klemenschits, who had been battling stomach cancer, has died. Her twin sister Sandra had also been diagnosed with the same rare disease.

Harkleroad is recovering from emergency surgery for a ruptured cyst on her ovary and hopes to return to the tour in May, reports ESPN.com.

Vaidisova is no longer working with coach and stepdad Ales Kodat. "At this time, this is the best decision for us to make," Kodat told a Czech newspaper. "It can help us both professionally."

Vaidisova's official website quoted her manager as saying, "Contrary to what some people are saying, Nicole and Ales remain very close to each other and people that know Nicole personally know how important her family is to her and always will be.

"Moving forward, Nicole will probably hire a new coach in next months. We are currently looking at several options but it speaks for itself that we will not rush into this decision to ensure the right person will be added to the team. Several players have also contacted me regarding the availability of Ales as a coach."

Vaidisova has lost her last three matches, including a 6-4, 6-0 opening round defeat to Klebanova in Miami. She has also been attracting attention for her relationship with fellow pro Stepanek; the two began dating last year.

Gaudio says he does not know when he will next play again. "I don't want to say I am retired because perhaps in three months I want to play... the bug can bite at any time," he told Argentine website Infobae.com. "For now, I'm happy and enjoying life away from tennis, but you never know."

Mantilla retires, just under a year after making a part-time return to the circuit after skn cancer.

Safin will work with Marc Rosset or most of the clay season while his regular coach Hernan Gumy awaits the birth of his child. "His wife is in her 9^th month of pregnancy and due to give birth any day now so he is back in Argentina with her and if all goes well he will be back to Europe around Rome or Hamburg," Safin said on his website. "Marc Rosset was very kind to offer to accompany me in the next few events. I am very grateful to him and it looks like he will help me out until Gumy comes back."

Kimiko Date will make a return to the pro circuit at 37 years old, 12 years after retiring from the sport. She will play satellite events and the Japanese national championships.

He has not been named to the initial team but Safin may play for Russia in its Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic this week, says Russian captain shamil Tarpishchev.

Venus pulls out of Amelia Island

Nadal on Federer's recent losses: "I think Roger is not in that moment, but, you know, it's very tough be all the time at 100%.  He has for last four or five years unbelievable records. Right now he's not doing bad. He's doing semifinals in Australia and semifinals Indian Wells. Here, quarterfinals.
For sure, for us [it's] not normal [to] watch Roger lose in these tournaments, but he's a human person. Anything can happen, because the levels always are very close.

Roger has a special ability and always win the important matches and win in the difficult moments. For that reason, I think it's not fair right now we speak bad about Roger."


After six tournaments and four finals without a title so far this season, Bob and Mike Bryan got their first win by defending their Miami doubles crown with a 6-2, 6-2 defeat of Bhupathi and Knowles in the final. It's their 45th career title, putting them in sole possession of the No. 4 spot among Open Era teams, and 16 behind Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodbridge's record of 61 titles.

"I think we got better every match. Today was one of the best matches we played in a long time," said Mike.

"...losing in the finals four times just makes you hungrier and hungrier," said Bob. "When we went out there today we didn't take anything for granted. We were focused on every point, didn't let anything bother us.  I think last year winning 11 titles, you wake up on the Sundays and you're like, 'Oh, here's another one.'"

Murray will work with Alex Corretja during the clay season.

Coverage of Miami on Fox Sports Net has proven frustrating for US viewers, thanks to the channel's limited and rigid broadcasting windows as well as an affiliate-distributed organization that has created inconsistency in the timing and amount of coverage available from area to area.

Even players competing in Miami have frequently been unable to watch the tennis unless they're on the tournament grounds.

Jankovic will go into the final against Serena Williams without having seen how Williams played in her three-set semifinal against Kuznetsova on Thursday afternoon. "For some reason, in my hotel, they don't show Fox Sports or something," Jankovic told reporters after winning her own semifinal match later in the evening.

Kuznetsova, too, went into her encounter against Williams without watching her unexpected 6-2, 6-0 destruction of top seed Henin in the previous round. "I didn't see anything," said Kuznetsova, who had to settle for reality TV a more contrived kind. "I guess she played unbelievable, but I was in my hotel watching Next Top Model or whatever I was watching. I was not watching any of tennis. It was not on TV. I wanted to watch. It was interesting."

Roddick's upset of Federer was tape-delayed till 10:00 pm because of a baseball game, and Nadal went online to track the match from his hotel on Thursday evening. "I followed the match on the internet before going for dinner," he wrote in his blog for TENNIS.com this week.

Sharapova will play Amelia Island

Djokovic will vist the Serb-dominated northern part of Kosovo on Thursday to show his support for Kosovo returning to Serbia, according to local officials. The Albanian-dominated province declared independence from Serbia in February.

Peter Lundgren has resigned as Britain's Davis cup coach and will be replaced by Paul Annacone.

European energy company Enel will become an official sponsor the ATP tour as well as eight men's events.

Srichaphan will not be returning at Davis Cup

Davis Cup team nominations for the quarterfinals here.

Sharapova will take a wildcard into Charleston

Mauresmo will take a wildcard into Amelia Island while Petrova has pulled out with a quad tear

Roddick fielded questions on his engagement after a 7-6(4), 6-4 defeat of Minar in Miami. "I got down on a knee, but I think the details we'll keep close to our family and friends," he said, adding wryly, "It [feels] a bit different. I think I lost half my fan base today... But you know, I'm happy, and Ivo Minar played the same way. I don't think he really cared." 

Asked if fiancée Brookyln Decker is ready to handle any extra attention that might follow, Roddick said, "She's a very, very smart girl, so I think so. But to be honest, I think it's big news today. I don't know if it will be big news next week."

When pressed further, he headed off queries with, "Guys, let's get to tennis, please."

Roddick and SI model Brooklyn Decker, who have been dating since last year, are now engaged. Roddick's website and a representative for Decker have both confirmed the news.

The ATP and WTA event in Memphis (facility plus tournament) is being sold to local buyers, reports the SportsBusiness Journal.

Kuznetsova comes from match point down at 6-1, 5-3 to sweep the next 10 games and defeat Azarenka 1-6, 7-5, 6-0 in the third round of Miami. Kuznetsova also won her opening match 6-0 in the third.

Neither of the Williamses will play the Fed Cup semifinal against Russia in April, according to Davenport.

"Ashley Harkleroad told me that she was going, and Venus and Serena told me they're not, so that's all I know," she said. "Yeah, I saw Venus in Memphis, and she said that she wasn't going. I tried for about one minute, and she just smiled and she's like,' Nope.' And I actually haven't seen Serena until here. It was really brief as she was walking to go play. I said, 'Hey, are you going?' And she's like, 'Nope,' with the same smile."

Since Indian Wells, Bammer has been suffering from a back problem that requires two hours of treatment a day, says her coach.

Hewitt, who lost to Jose Acasuso in Miami, is still suffering from a hip strain sustained at Indian Wells. "Just got a bit of a hip strain at the moment," he said. "With a few days off after I lost to Fish in Indian Wells it started to respond a little bit better. I thought it was going to be right, and then as soon as I practiced here for the first time I went backwards again."

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that ATP wants to buy February's Las Vegas event and move it abroad, a move being resisted by the USTA.

WTA annual awards for 2007:

Player of the Year: Justine Henin (2nd straight year)
Doubles Team of the Year: Cara Black and Liezel Huber
Most Improved Player: Ana Ivanovic
Comeback Player of the Year: Lindsay Davenport
Newcomer of the Year: Agnes Szavay
Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award: Ana Ivanovic
Player Service Award: Liezel Huber

Hrbaty loses his ATP return from elbow surgery 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 to Gulbis at Miami.

Mirza pulls out of Miami with a wrist injury

Haas pulls out of Miami with a sinus infection, which also prompted him to withdraw from his quarterfinal match at Indian Wells against Roger Federer last week.

At Indian Wells, WTA CEO Larry Scott said the Tour is now planning to rename its tournament designations next year as follows:

 - Premier mandatory (Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Beijing),
 - Premier five (Dubai, Rome, Cincinnati, Canada, Tokyo)
 - Premier (Sydney, Paris, TBA, Charleston, Stuttgart, Berlin, Eastbourne, Stanford, Los Angeles, New Haven, Moscow).

There will also be 35 lower-level events designated 'International' tournaments.

The WTA has in the past used other names, such as "crown jewels" and "A" events, to refer to the new top layer of events being created. Currently, tournaments are designated Tier I, Tier II, etc., with Tier V the lowest level.

Suspensions are to be introduced next year for players skipping mandatory events, but Scott said the exact details of the rules have not yet been decided:

"We are still in discussions at the board level about the details of how that works. For example, [currently] if a player can't play but they appear at a tournament and they come in front of the media and do other things, traditionally players are fine. And they probably wouldn't be suspended if a player shows up at a tournament, because in our world, it seems like there's an acceptance that an injury or illness is pretty credible if the player is actually there. Players don't turn up to places and not play if they can play.

"What we haven't decided yet is whether, like you can mitigate your way out of a financial penalty, the suspension would be mitigated if the player does certain things in lieu of playing.

"The timing of suspensions kicking in is still a big topic being discussed.

"There's not going to be any exceptions to the rule for any players. There's not going to be a Williams rule [for Indian Wells].

"Players are playing events all the time where they're injured. They're nursing their way through tournaments, they're toughing it out, they
win titles, and sometimes they really can't play. So I'm trying to get us out of the business of making that judgment call and leaving it on the
player, but just making it clear to the player what you have to do to be relieved of the financial penalty."

Kuerten loses his farewell match at Miami 6-1, 7-5 to Grosjean.

del Potro, out since Australia with a back injury, wins his comeback match 7-5, 6-1 over Jesse Levine at Miami.

Sharapova, who pulled out of Miami, says she may take wildcards into Amelia Island and Charleston: "The main thing right now is just to get that rest and recovery, however long that is... I think just the day that I wake up and say, 'I miss that racquet'... If I'm ready, and if I've had a good week or nine days of practice, then I would definitely consider taking wildcards into Charleston and Amelia Island."

Amelia Island takes place during the week following Miami, and Charleston the week after.

Sony Ericsson's marketing head Dee Dutta is leaving the company. Dutta attended the draw ceremony in Miami on Tuesday and was a visible presence as the face of Sony Ericsson's sponsorship of the WTA Tour.

Monica Seles is eliminated in the opening round of reality show Dancing with the Stars.

ATP annual awards for 2007:

Player of the Year - Roger Federer (4th straight year)
Doubles Team of the Year - Mike and Bob Bryan (3rd straight year)
Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship - Roger Federer (4th straight year)
Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year - Ivan Ljubicic
Most Improved Player of the Year - Novak Djokovic (2nd straight year)
Newcomer of the Year - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Comeback Player of the Year - Igor Andreev

Haase wins last week's Sunrise challenger, defeating Grosjean 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 after being a set and a break down. "It’s just like I won an ATP event,”  he said. “I played against three top fifty guys, against one who was number seventy and I played one coming back from an injury who has been number 20 in the world.”

Then the 20-year-old Haase played Miami qualifying, winning two matches to reach the main draw. He will face Berrer in the first round of the men's singles.

Grosjean plays the soon-to-retire Kuerten in the first round of Miami.

Miami men's wildcards: Gustavo Kuerten, Mario Ancic, John Isner, Kei Nishikori, and Jesse Levine

Miami women's wildcards: Sabine Lisicki, Michelle Larcher de Brito, Coco Vandeweghe, Stephanie Dubois, Anastasia Pivovarova, Sorana Cirstea

Miami draws: Men's draw, women's draw

Federer reacts to his 6-3, 6-2 loss against Fish in the semifinals of Indian Wells:

"I've had a great record against him, always sort of controlled matches against him, but today was different. He came out playing very, very well," said Federer. "I can only congratulate him... That's why I'm maybe not that disappointed.

"Everything he took it on the rise and hit winners, so it was just a great performance by his side... [I] could have served better, sure. Could have returned better, sure. But the guy was on top of his game.

"But all in all, I'm happy the way this week has been going for me... semifinals to start off with at the first Masters Series is a good thing again, and I hope I can go from here and win in Miami and on to clay."

The Indian Wells final is one of eight matches the WTA will stream online during this season. However, the webcast will not be available in the United States, Europe, Australia, Japan or Hong Kong.

Venus will not play Fed Cup for the United States against Russia in April, reports tennisreporters.net. Sharapova is also not playing the tie for Russia.

Hawk-Eye rules have been modified so players get three challenges plus one in the tiebreak at all tournaments.The new rule comes into effect in Miami.

Stella Artois' sponsorship of Queen's will end this year after 30 years as the LTA moves to promote its events as one package

Bausch & Lomb's sponsorship of Amelia Island will end after 22 years. The tournament is looking for a new title sponsor, and sees no danger of the tournament disappearing from the WTA Tour.

Verkerk wins the $10,000 futures event in Montreal.

The ATP-appointed gambling investigation will submit its findings during the French Open in May, reports the Guardian.

Haas is working with Dean Goldfine

Mirza will be working part-time with Sven Groenefeld

Sampras will play three exhibitions in South America in May – against Rios in Santiago on the 18th, against Nalbandian in Buenos Aires on the 20th, and in San Paolo on the 25th.

Roddick has entered the ATP event in Washington, meaning that he will not play the Olympics. The two overlapping events are both played two weeks before the US Open.

"My goal every summer is to win the U.S. Open," said Roddick in a statement released by tournament organizers. "["] feel defending my title in Washington best prepares me for another grand slam title."

Golovin could be out of action until the end of April after undergoing surgery to remove a cyst on her hip, reports L'Equipe.

In Tokyo ahead of an exhibition event with Kimiko Date and Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova confirms that she regained Czech citizenship in early February. She also plans to retain American citizenship.

The stomach virus Federer suffered before the Australian Open eventually turned out to be mononucleosis, Federer told the New York Times, adding that he was only able to resume training normally last week.

"I lost a lot of fitness," he said. "I was feeling so great in December up until the moment I got sick, so this has been my problem the last couple weeks – really getting back on track. I haven’t practiced and couldn’t really work out the way I wanted to, because you have to be very careful with mono."

Roddick is no longer working with Jimmy Connors. "Jimmy resigned, probably about a week ago," said Roddick after defeating Nadal 7-6(5), 6-2 in the Dubai quarterfinals. " I'm sad, but I'm thankful for what he was able to give to me and the fact that he was able to take some time out of his retirement and spend it with me."

Haas will not play Germany's Davis Cup quarterfinal tie against Spain in April. "I don't feel like one of the two best Germans," he said after losing his opening match in Dubai.

Martina Hingis will play in the Liverpool exhibition event that takes place before Wimbledon.

Djokovic reacts to Kosovo's declaration of independence while taking part in Dubai. "Kosovo is part of Serbia. It’s part of our country... I know the [history] but I don’t want to talk about that. It was Serbian. And for me it is Serbian, and always will be," he said. "My father came from there. My uncle and most of family lived there for a long time. I have been there many times."

Two weeks ago, Djokovic sent a videotaped message of support to a protest against Kosovo's independence in Belgrade.

"I wasn’t interested in politics but this is not only politics, this is something really serious," said Djokovic.

Koubek checked into a private clinic in Vienna last weekend to receive treatment for a back problem. He still hopes to play Indian Wells.

Federer suggests he is not sure that he'll stay in the athletes' village at the Beijing Olympics after a difficult experience at Athens in 2004, where he lost to Tomas Berdych in the second round.

"It was not as enjoyable as Sydney, which I loved. I still have not made up my mind," he said, speaking to reporters in Dubai. “It was quite difficult in Athens... taking the bus and not being in control of my own schedule, and many people recognising me in the village."

Venus and Serena arrive in Bangalore

Hewitt draws Safin in the first round of Las Vegas - draw   here.

Federer draws Murray in the first round of Dubai - draw here.

Luzzi has been suspended for 200 days and fined $50,000 for gambling on tennis matches, including one bet on himself to win, announces the ATP. It is the second-heaviest such punishment meted out by the tour, with previous suspensions ranging from six weeks to nine months and fines from $20,000 to $60,000.

"An ATP investigation, launched in August 2007, found that Mr. Luzzi had wagered 273 times on 836 tennis matches between May 2004 and April 2007.  Of these 273 bets, one was a €3 (Euros) bet, placed on himself to win. ATP found no evidence of any attempt by Mr. Luzzi to affect the outcome of any tennis match..." the mens' governing body said in a statement.

Luzzi is the fifth player to be suspended for gambling by the ATP, joining fellow Italians di Mauro, Bracciali, Starace and Galimberti.

After reaching the Zagreb final, lucky loser Stakhovsky says he plans to send a text message to Llodra thanking him for pulling out of the event.

Monfils will return from a five-month layoff in Dubai next week.

Srichaphan tells Thai press that he is recovering from the wrist injury that has kept him off the tour for nearly a year, and is targeting a return during the grass court season, with a possible cameo at Davis Cup in April.

Clijsters leaves the hospital with baby daughter Jada on Thursday

Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi win the 'German media prize' for their work with children in need.

Paes will stay on as Davis Cup captain till at least April despite a request by the majority of players on India's Davis Cup team to replace him.

Chakvetadze on the armed robbery at her Moscow home in December: "I just couldn't sleep the first three nights in my room...Then it was okay but I wanted to live in another place in Moscow, to change location, but my parents didn't really want to. So now we have bodyguards in the house and alarms, everything you can do."

Ivanovic and Jankovic demur when asked to comment on Kosov's declaration of independence and resulting violence in Serbia, reports weblog Sports Dish.

“It’s very hard for me to comment on it or say anything. It’s just very, very sensitive at the moment,” said Ivanovic. "It’s very sad for me to see people reacting this way. It’s a tough decision. It’s a political one. I wish people would realize this and maybe not go that far."

"Whatever I will say about that, people may read it in a different context so I don’t want to get involved, especially since I am not an expert in that," said Jankovic.

Davenport will make a decision about whether to continue playing tennis after she plays the US Open. "My husband and I said that I was definitely fully committed through the U.S. Open," she told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "Then we'll sit down as a family and kind of figure out how it's going, how the baby is doing, what makes sense for our family.

"Through this whole comeback I've singled out the Olympics, but to get back to the U.S. Open is going to be something that's really special."

Serena pulls out of Dubai

Raemon Sluiter retires

Members of India's Davis Cup team have sent a letter to their national federation saying they no longer want Paes as captain, reports the Times of India.

A Belgrade rally protesting Kosovo's independence on Thursday featured a videotaped message from Djokovic amidst speeches by political figures like Serbian prime minister Vojislav Kostunica.

Hundreds of thousands of Serbs gathered in the government-organized protest. Violence broke out when a few hundred attacked the US embassy in Belgrade. The Croatian, Bosnian and Turkish embassies were also targeted.

Mauresmo tells L'Equipe she is having toughts about retirement. "I sometimes ask myself what the hell I am doing, in front of half-empty stands," she said. "In the back of your mind, there's always a little something wondering if it wouldn't be better to stop."
 
Ivanovic may be forced to withdraw from Doha after twisting her ankle during her first-round win. " I have to wait and see how it reacts overnight. But honestly it's very questionable for tomorrow," she said.

Monica Seles will be on the next season of ABC's reality show Dancing with the Stars. The upcoming season, which begins airing in mid-March, also features Adam Carolla, Cristian de la Fuente, Shannon Elizabeth, Steve Guttenberg, Mario, Marlee Matlin, Penn Jilette, Priscilla Presley, Jason Taylor, Marissa Jaret Winokur and Kristi Yamaguchi.

Federer wins the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for the fourth straight year, and Henin wins the Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year award.

Galimberti is banned for 100 days and $35,000 for betting on tennis matches between 2003 and 2006.

18-year-old Nishikori wins Delray Beach as a qualifier, the first time he has been past the quarterfinals of an ATP event. The win earned him direct entry into San Jose,

Djokovic pulls out of Rotterdam with the flu.

Tsonga pulls out of Rotterdam. His coach, Eric Winogradsky, cites "general fatigue" after the Australian Open and Davis Cup. Tsonga lost in the first round of Marseille.

Roger Federer ($29 million), Maria Sharapova ($23 million) and Serena Williams ($23 million) are on Forbes' list of highest-paid athletes under 30 between June 2006 and June 2007.

The Chinese tennis federation says Peng was given permission by the ITF referee to leave the China-France Fed Cup tie early to leave for the Paris Indoors. Earlier this week, France lodged a protest about Peng's departure, saying she had not undergone a doping test after her match. 

Monica Seles has announced her retirement from tennis.

"Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life. I have for some time considered a return to professional play, but I have now decided not to pursue that," Seles said in a statement. "I will continue to play exhibitions, participate in charity events, promote the sport, but will no longer plan my schedule around the tour. I look forward to pursuing other opportunities with the same passion and energy that fueled my dedication to tennis and to devote more time to two of my passions -- children and animals.

"I especially want to thank all my wonderful, loyal fans for all of their support for me over the years. They have inspired me throughout my career in the good times and comforted me in the bad times. I have always been so proud to have such a special group of precious fans to call my very own and felt they were the best an athlete could ever hope to have. I will miss them all as much as I will miss competing in the game of tennis."

Seles' last match was at the French Open in 2003.

In a statement, WTA CEO Larry Scott said, "Monica Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, and an inspiration and role model for millions of fans throughout the world.  No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that she has always been off the court.  Fans of women’s tennis have no shortage of fond Monica memories and of amazing matches and rivalries that Monica was a part of.  No doubt, Monica will soon find her rightful place at the International Tennis Hall of Fame for her many accomplishments on the tennis court.”

Murray on the knee problem that led him to miss last week's Davis Cup tie: "The reason that it causes problems is because it's in two pieces. A regular kneecap, when you bend, just moves as one, but mine bends when I go into a squatting position, which puts more pressure on the back of the kneecap and the cartilage... It's just something I'm going to have to deal with and monitor, I guess, on a monthly basis."

The French Fed Cup team has made a complaint to the ITF about Peng missing mandatory drug testing on the first day of the China-France Fed Cup tie last weekend.

Nadal announces that he is establishing his own foundation to promote sport amongst underprivileged youth and focus on social work and development in Spain.

Federer will play in Stockholm during the fall, creating a potentially heavy four-week schedule that includes his hometown event in Basel and well as Masters Series events in Madrid and Paris.

Vaidisova plans to stop playing Fed Cup, her agent tells a Czech newspaper.

Safin has pulled of San Jose, announce tournament organizers. His withdrawal had been largely expected after he was unable to play Davis Cup last week following a injury incurred during practice.

Nadal confirms that he plans to play Davis Cup for Spain in the quarterfinals against Germany.

Coria wins his first-round match in Costa do Sauipe, his first ATP win in a year and a half. "It's the happiest day in my career," he said tearfully.

At Antwerp, Henin reacts to Yuri Sharapova's throat-slashing gesture at the Australian Open, made after Sharapova's win over Henin in the quarterfinals: "I was really annoyed and I telephoned Larry Scott to ask his opinion. He told me that he found the gesture unacceptable.

"You shouldn't have to see this type of thing in a tennis stadium. It takes away from the image of women's tennis and can open the door for all types of problems.

"I didn't take the gesture personally but it shocked me for tennis."

At Marseille, Gasquet announces that he is establishing his own foundation to encrouage sport amongst underprivileged youth. The refurbishment of a hospital in Marseille will be one of its first projects.

Nastase resigns as head of the Romanian tennis federation after a newspaper cites figures suggesting the federation overpaid costs for the Romania-France Davis Cup tie last weekend. Nastase also lost a court battle to build a tennis academy in Bucharest.

Gonzalez will be off the tour till March with an abdominal injury

Starace makes his return from a six-week gambling suspension in Costa do Sauipe.

Roddick criticizes the newly-installed clay court in Vienna after winning his opening singles against Melzer 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. "Is it the worst I've played on in the Davis Cup? Absolutely," he said. "It was terrible but at least it was terrible for both sides."

A live webcast of the Canada vs. Mexico tie can be viewed here.

British Davis Cup captain John Lloyd tells BBC Radio that Andy Mruray has said he plans to play in Britain's next Davis Cup tie. Murray skipped this weekend's tie against Argentina citing concerns about his knee.

Djokovic pulls out of Serbia's tie against Russia with flu.

Dancevic is out of the Canada vs. Mexico Davis Cup zonal tie because of a back injury, reports the Globe and Mail.

Karatantcheva and Lucic (lucky loser) both lose in the first round of the Midland challenger

Davis Cup first-round tie draws here.

Tipsarevic will not play Davis Cup for Serbia this weekend against Russia because of a stomach problem. Safin, whose toe injury put him in doubt for the tie, has been named as a doubles player.

Molik will be out for six weeks with calf and elbow problems, reports the Melbourne Herald Sun.

Jamie Murray criticizes brother Andy for his decision to skip Britain's Davis cup tie against Argentina. Murray pulled out a week ago, citing concerns about his knee.

"It was a shock to me, and I think for the team it's also very disappointing. It's a shame that he decided that it was best for him not to come here. It kind of affects the way I feel about him. It's disappointing that he chose not to come," said Jamie. "I think from what I've heard he hasn't actually said that he was injured, it was more of a preventative thing."

The two have not spoken since the team was told of Andy's decision, he added. "There isn't really much to say. I'm here working hard for the team, trying to do the best I can, and he's at home doing whatever he's doing. I think it's kind of up to him to clear the air.

"It's not that Andy doesn't enjoy the Davis Cup, it's just that he obviously felt that it was more important for him to concentrate on Marseille and play well there rather than come here."

Safin is pulling out of this week's Davis Cup tie against Serbia and is in doubt for San Jose in two weeks' time, according to San Jose tournament director Bill Rapp."Yesterday, while practicing for the Davis Cup tie against Serbia, Marat tweaked his toe and has had an MRI.  In a few hours, the Russian team will announce that he will pull out of that Davis Cup tie," said Rapp.

Safin had been scheduled to play an exhibition against Pete Sampras in San Jose as well as the event itself."we're going to daily monitor that situation," said Rapp.

Serena pulls out of Antwerp

In a press conference ahead of the Paris Indoors, Chakvetadze says playing in Australia was a mistake as she had not fully recovered from the armed robbery at her home in December.

Tennis players nominated for Laureus awards: Federer (Sportsman of the the Year), Henin (Sportswoman of the Year), Djokovic (Breakthrough of the Year). Sharapova will play a hosting role during the February awards ceremony

Israeli IOC member Alex Gilady tells Reuters that Peer "incited" the crowd during the Fed Cup tie between Israel and Russia this weekend and that he has written to Russian Fed Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev to apologize for the crowd's behaviour. The partisan Israeli crowd was criticized by Chakvetadze and also imitated Sharapova's grunting during a point of her match against Obziler.

The Israeli Tennis Association rejected the criticism of Peer but requested that spectators "spectators to show restraint and respect the rules."

Ahead of Russia's Davis Cup tie against Serbia, Safin says that one of his goals for the year is to qualify for the Olympics.

Nestor has been named Canadian Davis Cup coach. He will also play in the upcoming tie against Mexico.

Philippoussis is dating Australian model Siobhan Parekh, according to the the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

Mirza pulls out of Bangalore, citing the religious and national controversy that has plagued her for the last few months. "I am not playing in Bangalore Open. I have been advised by my manager not to play because a lot has been happening in the past few months," she said. "Every time I have played in India, there has been some kind of problem. So, we just thought it was better not to play this time."

Mirza's manager Bhupathi described the move as a "one-off" for this season.

Meanwhile, tournament organizers said both Williamses sisters have entered the event.

Karatantcheva wins the La Quinta challenger to take her winning streak up to 16.

Monaco injures his ankle during the doubles final in Vina del Mar and had to default the singles final. He will also be out of the Davis Cup tie against Britain.

Ferrer will not take part in Spain's Davis Cup tie against Peru because of injury. He will be replaced by Lopez.

Serena pulls out of the Paris Indoors needing urgent dental surgery.

Henin's knee injury is not as bad as initially feared and she will resume training this week, reports Antwerp tournament director Bob Verbeeck.

Attendance at Antwerp in two weeks' time is expected to surpass 100,000 spectators, driven by Henin's decision to participate for the first time since 2003. This is likely to be the event's last year on the WTA calendar.

French Open organizers have filed suit to stop online gambling firms from offering bets on the tournament, reports AP. Spokespeople at online betting companies Betfair and Bwin rejected the legitimacy of the suit.

Joachim Johansson is retiring at 25 bcause of continuing shoulder problems. "During the last month I underwent all kinds of examinations and the doctors say not even another operation will help me," he told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet. "The doctors have said that nothing except a very long period of rest will work and long rest will not work for what I have intended to do and the goals I set up to achieve.

"There is no other option than to quit."

Hantuchova will miss the Slovak Republic's Fed Cup tie against the Czech Republic with a heel injury and fatigue. Hantuchova reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, going up 6-0, 2-0 against Ivanovic but losing the match in three sets.

Federer's renegotiated contract with Nike could reach as high as $13 million a year over 10 years, according to SportsBusiness Journal.

Mauresmo says she was "disappointed" by French Fed Cup captain Georges Goven's handling of team selection for this weekend's Fed Cup tie. Mauresmo and Bartoli were both named to the team against their wishes. Cornet and Parmentier were named as replacements.