Amelie Mauresmo has skipped some very significant tournaments lately: the Rogers Cup, Pilot Pen, and above all the US Open. However, the two-time Grand Slam champion will compete in the China Open, which starts September 17 in Beijing.

Last week, Mauresmo started training for the tournament in China, but her main goal remains to make the next season much more satisfying than the current one. Loic Courteau, the Frenchwoman’s coach, said that Mauresmo’s main objective is to find her rhythm again.

In the next WTA Tour rankings, Marion Bartoli will become the French number one, taking the place of Amelie Mauresmo who will be world number eleven. (via Ace 2007)

Share This

Media-favorite Ana Ivanovic has become a UNICEF National Ambassador for Serbia. The world No.5 will be inaugurated at a special ceremony in Belgrade next week, and will take a special interest in the fields of education and child protection.

The 19-year-old Ivanovic is delighted by the invitation: “This is one of the greatest honors I’ve ever received, and I’m going to do my best to support all the great work that UNICEF does, both in Serbia and worldwide.

“I love children, and I relish this opportunity to help them in some small way. I’m looking forward to supporting UNICEF’s ‘child-friendly schools’ concept. It’s about valuing children as people, not just learners, and making absolutely sure that the environment is best suited to allow them to develop their talent to the full.”

Part of Ana’s job will include visiting schools in Serbia, and she is looking forward to going into the classroom and meeting many kids.

Note: Ivanovic has already donated CAN$11,000 to a UNICEF charity last month. (source: The Ana Ivanovic website)

Share This

Justine Henin beat Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1 6-3 in the women’s final on Saturday to clinch her second US Open title. Here’s a video of the post-match ceremony (it’s in Spanish).

Share This

Belgian Justine Henin claimed her seventh Grand Slam title with a 6-1 6-3 victory over former champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia at the US Open.

Top-seeded Henin opened the match with a break, and added two more to take the first set. Fourth-seeded Kuznetsova didn’t use her opportunities, and that’s a must if you want to defeat a number one. For example, Kuznetsova wasn’t able to break Henin even in the games in which the Belgian double-faulted two times.

I had expected a closer match even though I knew that Justine Henin plays by far the highest quality of tennis. At this moment, with players such as Sharapova and Jankovic achieving less than they could, Henin's brilliance is evident more than ever. Another fact that shows Henin's dominance is that she won the US Open 2007 without losing a set. (photo via BBC)

Share This

Top-seeded Justine Henin, who is yet to drop a set in this year’s US Open, will face fourth-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova on Saturday night in a title match featuring two past Open champions.

The Belgian has a chance to become the first player to beat both Williams sisters on the way to a Grand Slam title. In her semifinal match against Venus Williams, little Henin displayed preciseness in placing balls on the lines and in the angles, as well as athleticism and belief in herself. Venus was a tough opponent, there’s no doubt about it, but I had never doubted that Henin would win. Final result: 7-6 (2), 6-4.

Earlier in the day, Svetlana Kuznetsova beat compatriot Anna Chakvetadze 3-6 6-1 6-1. The Russians struggled immensely throughout the match. Take a look at this fact: Kuznetsova lost the first set even though Chakvetadze hit only one winner! Throughout the semifinal both players couldn’t put the ball in the court, while also having problems with the nerves.

Henin goes into the final with a daunting 14-2 record against Kuznetsova, although the Russian did win their last match earlier this year. The 25-year-old Henin is seeking her seventh Grand Slam title, while Kuznetsova is hoping to add to the lone major she won in New York in 2004. (photos via BBC)

Share This