Aces
IMG Signs Vera Zvonareva
Global sports and entertainment company IMG, today announced that Russian tennis star Vera Zvonareva has signed with the company for exclusive worldwide marketing and management representation.
– IMG Press Release
Liezel Huber’s Fed Cup Blog
Liezel Huber does stray from her co-world No.1 doubles player in one circumstance – Fed Cup. Now playing for the United States, Huber is one of the most dependable members of the American Fed Cup Team, and this week blogs to us from their World Group semifinal tie in the Czech Republic.
– Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
Inside the ball boy training camp
Standing at attention, running on the spot, juggling to improve hand-eye co-ordination, marching practice, shuttle runs through cones, long rolling practice and theory exams. This is the unglamorous side to being a ball boy/girl. Once a week for two-and-a-half hours these 13 and 14 year olds are put their paces, learning the ball boy craft.
– The Wimbledon Blog
Former Teen Phenom Mirjana Lucic on Comeback Trail
So what prompted the comeback?
“I missed it so much,” she said. “I love the game and I know that I have so many good tournaments in me. I definitely want to do it again. I want to work my way all the way up and do what I’m capable of.”
– American Chronicle
Fila Goes Green With New Fabrication in Personal Performance Collection
In honor of Earth Day week here in the U.S. Fila has released the new “green” pieces in its Women’s Personal Performance Collection.
– Tennis Identity
Childhood Photos: Dinara Safina, new World Number 1
Those pictures remind us how hard it is to get where she is now. It takes years and years of hard work, dedication, discipline, and belief in yourself.
– Tennis Info Blog
Tour Stars Shed a Tear for Africa in Barcelona
Three of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s brightest stars took some time out during the Barcelona Ladies Open last week to participate in a unique photo shoot, “A Tear For Africa”. During the shoot, a professional make-up artist painted a black tear on the faces of Anabel Medina Garrigues, Carla Suárez Navarro and Maria Kirilenko, then images were snapped.
– Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
The Best Tennis Stores Online
These days there are so many online tennis stores, but which ones are actually worth using?
– The Tennis Times
Martina Hingis to appear on ITV show
The Swiss star has been in London filming her appearance on ITV’s Beat the Star. The brand new ITV series is hosted by Vernon Kay and sees a member of the public as the challenger take on a star.
– Tennis Head
Net Cords
Peng replaces Li in Chinese team
The China Tennis Association announced that Peng Shuai has replaced compatriot Li Na in the Chinese team to face Germany in their Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group Play-off tie in Frankfurt.
– Fed Cup by BNP Paribas
Drained Jelena Dokic ready to fight
Jelena Dokic has admitted she has returned to Australia for this weekend’s Fed Cup clash with Switzerland “in pretty bad shape”.
She has played only three events since Melbourne and withdrew from tournaments in Ponte Vedra and Charlston this month with “sports fatigue injury”.
– Adelaide Now
Faults
Economic Woes Impact Tennis as Wimbledon Prize Money Increase Doesn’t Add Up (for the U.S.)
2009 prize money for the men’s and women’s Wimbledon champion:
£850,000 = $1,247,181 USD (based on currency exchange rates for April 21, 2009) = A 13.3% increase from 2008
2008 prize money for the men’s and women’s Wimbledon champion:
£750,000 = $1,477,292 USD (based on currency exchange rates for July 6, 2008)
The difference:
- $230,111 = For U.S. players, this represents a 15.6% decrease in prize money from 2008.
– Paula Vergara
