Month of December , 2009

Serena Williams was fined a record $82,500 for her tirade at a U.S. Open line judge and could be suspended from that tournament if she has another “major offense” at any Grand Slam in the next two years.

Organizers of the Indianapolis Tennis Championships are planning to sell the sanctioning rights for the ATP event, meaning the city may be without a professional tournament for the first time in more than 80 years.

Tournament director Kevin Martin said Monday that the event’s nonprofit group faced serious economic challenges that prompted the decision. He wouldn’t say where the tournament might move, but said a sale was expected by the end of December.

For once, Serena Williams will have to write a hefty check to tennis instead of the other way around, and that act is likely to please exactly no one. The world will be divided between those who think the $82,500 levied by international tennis officials for Williams' uber-temper tantrum at the U.S. Open is too little and those who will insist it's unjust.

Spain playing Davis Cup tennis on clay in front of a home crowd is about as close to a sure thing as sport provides, and just because Rafael Nadal suddenly looks vulnerable the Czech Republic are not about to forget it.

Spain go into this weekend's final as defending champions and with every reason to relish the prospect of a return to Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi, the indoor arena that played host to their first Davis Cup final win in 2000.

Tomas Berdych faces the tricky task of helping Czech Republic end Spain's 19-tie unbeaten record on clay in this week's Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona.
 

Australian Open officials expect Serena Williams to be on her best behaviour at the first grand slam of 2010 after she was given permission to defend her title.

The world number one escaped a ban for her foul-mouthed attack on a line judge at the U.S. Open when the Grand Slam Committee opted to slap her with a fine and a two-year probation.

"We're confident there will be no repeat and we've had no problems with Serena," Australian Open boss Craig Tiley told reporters on Wednesday.

One of Europe’s finest cities, a former Olympic venue with a capacity of 16,000, a passionate crowd and two world class teams ready to commence battle… the stage is set for a memorable Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final.

Palau Sant Jordi was built in 1990 and staged the gymnastics event at the Barcelona Olympics. It has since hosted some of the best in sport, music and entertainment – from the World Aquatic Championships to Tina Turner, Frank Sinatra and Paul McCartney.

The Davis Cup by BNP Paribas Final between Spain and Czech Republic is being held at Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, on 4-6 December.

Spain, attempting to become the first nation since Sweden in 1998 to retain the title, fields a full strength team of Rafael Nadal, Fernando Verdasco, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez.

Tennis former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova is interested in trying her hand at designing clothing.

The Russian player, who left her fashion mark wearing gold tennis shoes in Wimbledon in 2005, doesn't want to be a model but plans to focus on design instead.

"I love designing. I love the fact that it's very creative," Sharapova told reporters on a visit to Santiago, where she will play an exhibition match against Argentina's Gisela Dulko called the "Beauty Challenge."

Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo is expected to end speculation on the future of her tennis career at a scheduled press conference on Thursday.

Two-time Grand Slam winner Mauresmo has been surrounded by rumours regarding whether she will hang up her racquet for good following her announcement earlier this year that she was skipping her last two tournaments of the season.

Led by Rafael Nadal, Spain enters the Davis Cup final against the Czech Republic as favorite to lift its fourth title, although the defending champion could be in better shape.

Spain—playing in its fifth final since its first victory in 2000—is looking to become the first team since Sweden 11 years ago to defend the title. And the numbers back it to do so.

The hosts have won 17 straight at home and 19 straight on clay, which is the surface the series will be played on, in front of expected daily crowds of 16,000 at the Palau Sant Jordi.

It speaks volumes about Spain's strength in depth on clay that captain Albert Costa could discard Fernando Verdasco and bring in David Ferrer for the first-day singles in the Davis Cup final against Czech Republic.

Verdasco has overcome a leg muscle strain but Costa, finalising the holders' team in Thursday's draw, decided to give the world number nine an extra day off and named him for Saturday's doubles alongside Feliciano Lopez.

Two-time Grand Slam champion Amelie Mauresmo retired from tennis Thursday, saying she no longer had a burning desire for competition.

The 30-year-old Frenchwoman is a former No. 1 player who finished this season at No. 21.

“I don’t want to train anymore,” Mauresmo said after shedding tears about the decision. “I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grew older, it’s more difficult to stay at the top.”

Friday, 4 December
R. Nadal (ESP) vs. T. Berdych (CZE)
D. Ferrer (ESP) vs. R. Stepanek (CZE)

Saturday, 5 December
Lopez/Verdasco (ESP) vs. Dlouhy/Hajek (CZE)

Sunday, 6 December
R. Nadal (ESP) vs. R. Stepanek (CZE)
D. Ferrer (ESP) vs. T. Berdych (CZE)

Serena and Venus Williams, Kim Clijsters and Svetlana Kuznetsova will play a one-night exhibition for the Billie Jean King Cup at Madison Square Garden in March.

Serena Williams and Clijsters could stage a rematch of their US Open semifinal, which ended with Williams' tirade at a line judge that earned her a record $82,500 fine.

The March 1 event will feature one-set semifinals then a three-set final, all with no ad scoring. Serena Williams beat her sister in last year's final.

Serena Williams won the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year.

Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues will be the top seed for next month's Hobart WTA International, according to organisers.

Garrigues, ranked 28, will be joined by fellow Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro, Israel?s Shahar Peer and the Bondarenko sisters, Kateryna and Alona, among the tournament seedings.

Canada`s Aleksandra Wozniak, China's 2005 Hobart champion Zheng Jie and Argentina's Gisela Dulko round out the seeded players for the event, which includes 17 of the world?s top 50 ranked women.

France's Amélie Mauresmo has brought the curtain down on a highly successful and memorable 17-year career, officially retiring from the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Winner of 25 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles titles, three doubles titles and a two-time Grand Slam champion, Mauresmo marks the end of a career that saw her become one of the very best and most popular players in the history of women's tennis.

December is upon us, which means ‘tis the season for “the year’s Top 10” lists, resolutions, and season-in-reviews. In that spirit, I offer this incomprehensive roundup of women's pro tennis in 2009, shamelessly styled after Newsweek's "Conventional Wisdom."

Factbox on twice grand slam winner and former world number one Amelie Mauresmo who announced her retirement on Thursday:

EARLY DAYS

* Born on July 5, 1979 in St Germain en Laye, France.

* Started playing tennis at the age of four after being inspired by compatriot Yannick Noah winning the 1983 French Open.

CAREER START

* Turned professional in 1997.

Serena Williams has confirmed her participation in next year's Sydney International, a lead-up to the Australian Open, after escaping a ban over her US Open tirade.

The world number one was fined $175 000 and placed on a two-year probation for her foul-mouthed attack on a line judge at Flushing Meadows in September.

The suspended ban means Williams will be able to defend her Australian Open title in late January and the American said she planned to warm up for the first grand slam of 2010 by playing the Jan. 10-16 Sydney tournament.