Showing posts with label ATP Masters Series Madrid. Show all posts
Serena Withdraws In Madrid, Hopes To Be Ready For Roland Garros
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Serena Williams, USAPhoto by Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images
MADRID (AFP) — Sluggish and injured Serena Williams lost her third consecutive clay match to crash out of the Madrid Masters after pulling the plug while trailing 4-6 to Francesca Schiavone in the first round Monday.
The exit of the second seed leaves Williams in a precarious position without a victory on the dirt heading into the May 24 start of Roland Garros.
"After the first set I did not want to risk anymore. I'm hoping to be ready for Roland Garros," she insisted.
Williams, who also lost in Marbella and last week in Rome and has suffered with thigh and knee injuries, effectively stayed on court for 45 minutes to avoid a 75,000 fine which the WTA would have imposed for failing to play the new tournament.
The sanction would have been imposed had she pulled out of the event and then not shown up on site for essentially a public relations appearance under the rules.
The multimillionairess has already lost several hundred thousand dollars in year-end bonus pool money as a result of refusing to compete at Indian Wells last March.
"I don't know about you, but 75,000 is a lot of money to me," said the winner of more than two million dollars in prize money so far this season.
"I'm redecorating a house and 75,000 is my furniture budget, some stairs...
"I can't just go writing cheques for 75,000 in this economy," added the ten-time Grand Slam champion, a 24-million-dollar woman over the course of her career.
Williams insisted with some bravado that she would aim to play both singles and doubles at the French Open, starting a week from Sunday.
Williams has not won a match since April 2 in a Miami semi-final over her sister Venus.
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Serena Williams: Dead Or Alive, Show Up Or Be Fined
Monday, May 11, 2009
Serena Williams, USAMADRID (Reuters) - World number two Serena Williams hit out at the WTA Tour injuries policy on Sunday, commenting that players would be fined for pulling out of a tournament even if they were dead.
The American 10-times grand slam winner was asked why she played at last month's Andalucia Tennis Championships when she had clearly not recovered from a thigh problem that hampered her in the final of the Sony Ericsson Open the previous week.
"Unfortunately it doesn't matter if you're injured, if you're dead or if you're alive, if you don't play they're going to fine you heavily," Williams said at a news conference ahead of this week's Madrid Open.
"So I have to play whether I am injured or not. That's just how it is so I have no choice."
Williams suffered a shock defeat to Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic in the first round in Marbella having lost heavily to Belarussian teenager Victoria Azarenka in Miami.
The WTA introduced a new Roadmap for 2009 designed to reduce the number of tournaments and shorten the season to make it less physically demanding on the players.
Top 10 players must still compete in at least 10 of the 20 Premier events -- previously known as Tier 1 and 2 tournaments -- and the four grand slams and are also obliged to play the events at Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid and Beijing.
Justine Henin's retirement last year at the age of 25 highlighted the problem of burnout and Russia's Maria Sharapova has accused the ruling body of women's tennis (WTA) of being ignorant of the players' needs.
Men's world number one Rafael Nadal has repeatedly complained about the congested ATP calendar and reiterated his concerns on Saturday in Madrid at the combined men's and women's clay event.
"It's a fact that there are too many matches but that's the way the calendar has been set," the Spaniard, who suffered a knee injury at the end of last season, told a news conference.
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Blake Having A Rough Go Of It Lately
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Awwww man!
American James Blake can't seem to get the job done as of late. I thought that the short period that he's been off might have rejuvenated his game, but not so. Today Blake was defeated by Frenchman Gilles Simon 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid.
He seems to be in some kind of funk...Come on Blake, SNAP OUT OF IT!!!
Frenchman Gael Monfils Through To Second Round
Gael Monfils won his first singles match in three visits to Madrid with a 6-2, 6-4 round one victory over Italian wild card Fabio Fognini.
Monfils will meet Fernando Gonzalez in the second round.
Unfortunately, that good fortune did not transfer over to the doubles. Monfils and his partner, countryman Gilles Simon, were bounced by Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and German Nicolas Keifer 6-3, 6-2.
Photo Getty Images
Tsonga Steps Up His Fashion Game In Madrid
Monday, October 13, 2008
The very talented and handsome Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga struts his stuff in a variety of menswear from the Hugo Boss clothing store in central Madrid prior to playing in the Madrid Masters tennis tournament at the Madrid Arena on October 13, 2008 in Madrid, Spain.
Well work it out Jo-Wilfried!
Photos Getty Images
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Well, That Was Quick!: Blake Ousted In Madrid
Thursday, October 18, 2007
I felt neither here nor there about American James Blake being ousted in the first round of doubles, I mean that's not his claim to fame. But I am a bit disappointed that he bit the dust in the first round of singles. What tha??? He didn't even seem interested today.
I thought with Blake being only within points of potentially sliding back within range of the top eight for the year-end championships that he'd be hell to beat. Guess I was wrong.
A sixth-seeded Blake was sent packing by Croat Mario Ancic, 6-3, 6-4 on Day 3.
'Nuff said.
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Blake and Butorac Bounced in Madrid
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Americans James Blake and Eric Butorac have been defeated in doubles in the first round of the ATP Masters Series in Madrid. The Polish doubles team of Mariuz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski prevailed at 7-5, 6-4.
Blake is still in the main draw awaiting play in the second round as he had a Bye in round 1.
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ATP Tour Tennis Action This Week
Monday, October 15, 2007
ATP Masters Series Madrid
October 15-21, 2007
Madrid, Spain
Round 1 - Singles
James Blake, USA vs Bye
Round 1 - Doubles
James Blake, USA and Eric Butorac, USA vs
Mariusz Fyrstenberg, POL, and Marcin Matkowski, POL
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