Third seed Anna Chakvetadze succumbed to fellow Muscovite Dinara Safina 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 at the $1.34 million Kremlin Cup on Thursday. Chakvetadze’s defeat is just a continuation of a series of upsets at the Moscow tournament.

World No.6 Chakvetadze held two set points in the first set tiebreak and couldn’t convert them. In the second, set she saved two match points, but eventually fell to the world No.17.

Safina heads into Friday's quarterfinals against another countrywoman, Vera Zvonareva, who is working to regain her former high standing on the tour. (source: Women Who Serve, photo via The Anna Chakvetadze website)

Former world number one Martina Hingis has called an early end to her 2007 season after failing to recover from a hip injury. The season has been predominantly unsatisfactory for the five-time singles Grand Slam champion; she won only one title, the Toray Pan Pacific Open in February.

The Swiss tennis star was hoping to be able to compete in the next week’s Zurich Open, but unfortunately, she was forced to pull out because of the injury.

"I'm very disappointed that I have to withdraw from the Zurich Open," Hingis said.

"I've done everything I can to be able to compete, but since Key Biscayne I've had problems with my hip which are stopping me from playing any more tournaments this year and even from practicing properly."

Hingis’ statement that she’ll take "as much time as it needs to get fully fit again" has led to speculation in the Swiss media that she may be about to retire again. (via ESPN)

With the exception of two tennis stars, there was nothing but rain, heat, and upsets in Moscow and Bangkok on Wednesday.

Who fell?

Before the start of the third round, the Kremlin Cup was left without four of its top eight seeds.

Second seed Maria Sharapova played her first match since the US Open and lost it in straight sets. The Russian was defeated by world No.32 Victoria Azarenka 7-6(9) 6-2.

Fifth seed Marion Bartoli was knocked out of the tournament by world No.46 Vera Dushevina. The Wimbledon finalist captured the first set 6-2, only to surrender a bagel set before losing 2-6, 6-0, 6-4. Read more »

I came across this wonderful photo at one website about Monica Seles, and I am so happy to have found it. Monica looks so adorable! Her hairstyle, the look on her face, her little dress, the racket – she’s so cute! And I like the fact that the picture is black and white, really beautiful.

Interesting fact: Monica Seles won her first tournament at the age of nine, despite not fully understanding the scoring system of the game and having only a vague idea of whether she was leading or trailing her opponents during matches.

Reminder: The former world number one won fifty-three singles titles (nine of which come from Grand Slams), and six doubles titles.

What is Seles doing these days? Well, the latest thing I know is that she beat Martina Navratilova in an exhibition match in the second half of September, in New Orleans. Take a look at a video from the exhibition.

I’ve already featured young pictures of Ana Ivanovic and Kim Clijsters, and I have two more players in mind (surprise!). Do you have some childhood photos of a women’s tennis player to enrich my collection?

Wii remote for playing the Nintendo’s revolutionary Wii video game, currently the most popular video game console in the world, will soon have a new add-on for playing tennis — a Prince Wii Tennis racket. It is a small racket, available in three colors, designed to provide a more realistic and fun experience for the gamers.

The Prince Wii Tennis rackets ($14.99) will be available beginning November 15, 2007 at all Circuit City locations as well as online at Circuit City. (source: IGN)

Top seed Justine Henin won her seventh singles title of the year after beating Tatiana Golovin 2-6 6-2 6-1 in the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix final in Stuttgart.

World No.19 Golovin was shining in the first set. As usually, Henin didn’t have any significant weaknesses in her play, but what an opponent Golovin was in the first set! She was confident and motivated and amazed me with her performance. But, as the second set progressed, Henin’s domination was ever greater, while Golovin was more and more just a shadow of the player from the first set. In the decider, the story from the second set continued, and Henin took the victory.

In the photo you can see the Stuttgart winner with her new Porsche 911 Turbo Convertible, which was given as a prize.

Not a surprise, Jelena Jankovic got into another silly situation. This time it included Justine Henin, the only tennis player JJ has no idea how to beat.

What happened? Jankovic and Henin have been staying in the same hotel during the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, and Jankovic has mistaken her room for Henin’s.

"It was so funny," Jankovic said after her latest defeat to the Belgian. "I was tired the other night and our rooms are next to each other and when I tried the door my card wouldn't work.

"I knocked and walked in and there was Justine, and I said: 'What are you doing in my room?'

"I'd got the wrong one but I thought I could go up there last night with a plate of fruit from room service, just to do something to distract her."

Jankovic seems to be in search of some alternative method to finally defeat Henin, but, at the moment, nothing can beat those killing forehands and backhands of the world number one. (source: Reuters)

France's Virginie Razzano, ranked 33rd in the world, caused a huge upset by beating top seed Venus Williams in the AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships final on Saturday.

World number eight Williams, who won last week’s Tier IV tournament in Korea, had three match points in the second set tiebreak before losing 4-6 7-6 6-4 to fifth-seeded Frenchwoman.

"I never felt the match was lost, even with three match points against me," said the 24-year-old, whose run in Tokyo will see her climb into the top 30 for the first time.

Williams was troubled by a leg injury, but paid tribute to her opponent, saying: "Congratulations to her. It's definitely a great way for her to end the year."

This is Razzano’s second career title. Last week she won Guangzhou International Women's Open in Guangzhou, China. (via Reuters)

Top-ranked Justine Henin and world No. 19 Tatiana Golovin defeated their semifinal opponents Saturday to reach the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Justine Henin beat third seed Jelena Jankovic 7-6 (7-2), 7-5, while Tatiana Golovin disposed of second seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets 6-2 6-4.

Jankovic’s hopes of driving home a Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet are over, as superior Henin improved to 8-0 career record against the Serb. From 2-5 down in the first set, Jankovic fought her way back to force a tie-break, which the Belgian won 7-2. Jankovic held three break points for a 5-1 lead in the second set, but Henin then started playing her best tennis. She hit a perfect lob to win the game and, with Jankovic beginning to tire, Henin began dominating. She broke serve for a 6-5 lead and the match was over when Jankovic netted a drop volley attempt.

Tatiana Golovin reached the final of the tournament in Stuttgart for the second consecutive year by upsetting Russian world No. 2 Svetlana Kuznetsova. Surprisingly, Golovin now holds a 3-1 head-to-head edge on Kuznetsova.

Justine Henin and Tatiana Golovin have faced each other twice, and the Belgian won both times.

World number one Justine Henin has withdrawn from next week's Kremlin Cup with a shoulder injury. Maria Sharapova, however, has recovered from her persistent shoulder injury and will compete in Moscow.

You may be asking why Justine Henin is withdrawing when she seems healthy, actually, she has reached the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix semifinals today, playing impressive tennis. "We were told Henin had suffered some injury to her shoulder and although she is still playing this week, she would not play the following week as she wants to have some rest," Kremlin Cup executive director Alexander Katsnelson told Reuters on Friday. Read more »