Slovakian world number eight Daniela Hantuchova was modeling this month for TCN, a producer of swimwear, lingerie, homewear and clothes. Here’s Daniela on the runway at Madrid Fashion Week.

(via WTA Hotties, El Mundo)

Two weeks ago at the Antwerp city hall the brand new trophy of the Proximus Diamond Games was presented, and it sure is stunning.

The trophy, in the shape of a racquet, contains 2008 diamonds (1611 on the ball and 397 on the aureole), and is worth $1.5 million. It weighs 10 lbs / 4.5 kg.

But don’t forget, in order to win this valuable trophy a player needs to win the Proximus Diamond Games three times in the period of five years. Still, it’s not impossible. Amelie Mauresmo took the diamond racquet home last year, as she won the tournament in Antwerp for three consecutive years. (source: Proximus Diamond Games)

World No.21 Agnieszka Radwanska won the Pattaya Women’s Open yesterday and in current form the 18-year-old Pole is on the right way to become much better-known among wider tennis audience.

With the victory in Pattaya City, Radwanska won her second career title, the first one was the Nordic Light Open in Stockholm last year, when she defeated Vera Dushevina in the final.

In the final of the Pattaya Women's Open, a Tier IV tournament in Thailand, top-seeded Radwanska defeated Jill Craybas 6-2 1-6 7-6 (7-4) after an intense two-hour match. With the victory Radwanska improved to 2-0 lifetime against Craybas, who was trying for her second career singles crown and first since 2002.

Radwanska was the first player from Poland to win a tour title, break into the top 30 and reach the last eight of a Grand Slam, and her achievements made tennis more popular in her home country. Of course, Radwanska has more goals in front of her. "I want to be a top 10 player, win a Grand Slam. I think about it and like all players, I want to be number one," said the teenager from Krakow. Read more »

Top seed Anna Chakvetadze defeated seventh-seeded Agnes Szavay 6-3 2-6 6-2 and became the Open Gaz de France champion for the first time in her career.

With this victory, the Russian extended her perfect career record in finals to 7-0.

At tomorrow's new ranking, Anna Chakvetadze will be one spot higher, at No.6, while Agnes Szavay will reach No.18 for the first time in her career (if she had won the tournament in Paris she would have become world No.17).

On her way to the title Chakvetadze defeated three home favorites Nathalie Dechy, Amelie Mauresmo and Marion Bartoli, and of course Hungarian Agnes Szavay in today’s final.

The titlist Chakvetadze collected $95,500, while Szavay earned $51,000. I hope the prize won’t bring back the thieves to Chakvetadze. (photo via Yahoo!)

Hungarian teenager Agnes Szavay and top seed Anna Chakvetadze of Russia will battle for the Open Gaz the France title in Sunday's final.

In today's semis seventh-seeded Szavay, who won her first two singles titles (Palermo and Beijing) and reached the US Open quarterfinals last year, defeated Elena Dementieva 6-3 1-6 7-5. Chakvetadze advanced to the title match with a 2-6 6-2 6-0 win over local favorite Marion Bartoli. Bartoli made a promising start but then collapsed against Chakvetadze, who made her breakthrough last year by winning four titles and reaching the US Open semifinals. Read more »

Top seed Russian Anna Chakvetadze beat home favorite and former world number one Amelie Mauresmo 3-6 6-3 6-3 to reach the Open Gaz de France semifinals where she will face another Frenchwoman, Wimbledon finalist Marion Bartoli.

The victory is Chakvetadze’s first in four meetings against Mauresmo. The two-time Grand Slam champion Mauresmo won the Parisian tournament in 2001 and 2006 and was the runner-up in 1999, 2003 and 2005. We’re still waiting for her to start making such good results again after a disappointing season 2007 which ruined her confidence.

After the tough and more than two hours long quarterfinal, world number seven Chakvetadze is tired and said it won't be easy to recover and enter the semifinal clash against third seed Bartoli really fresh. Chakvetadze and Bartoli have met only once so far, that was in Luxembourg last year, and Bartoli won in three sets.

In the other semifinal, Hungarian Agnes Szavay and Russian Elena Dementieva will face each other. (photo via Getty Images)

Agnes Szavay of Hungary beat Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova 7-6 6-1 to advance to the semifinals of the Open Gaz de France in Paris.

Second-seeded Hantuchova took a 4-1 lead in the first set, but seventh-seeded Szavay recovered and eventually took the tiebreak 7-4. In the second game of the second set Hantuchova received treatment on her right hand and had it bandaged. After that, she lost five consecutive games, and hence the match, but she refused to blame the defeat solely on the injury.

"My hand was hurting, it's true, but that's not an excuse," said Hantuchova. "My opponent played really well."

In the semifinals of the Tier II tournament in Paris, Szavay will face Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva, who advanced with a 7-5 6-2 win over Ukraine's Kateryna Bondarenko. (source: Reuters)

The draw for the 2008 Fed Cup World Group and World Group II play-offs was announced and it was determined that Croatia will face Serbia in April’s World Group II play-offs. Croatian captain Goran Prpic didn’t hide his disappointment and said that that was the worst draw for them as Serbia currently has the strongest Fed Cup team in the world. Read more »

The world's top two players, Justine Henin of Belgium and Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, will play at the Qatar Telecom German Open in Berlin in May.

Henin has won this $1.34-million claycourt tournament three times in her career, in 2002, 2003, and 2005. Ivanovic was a champion last year, beating Svetlana Kuznetsova after being a set down.

In addition to Henin and Ivanovic, several more of the world's top 10 players are expected to participate in the Tier I event.

"The 2007 tournament was one of the best events throughout the world with
eight of the ten top ten players competing" said Sheikh Mohamed Bin Faleh Al Thani, President of the Qatar Tennis Federation on Wednesday. "I assume that such strong entries will again take part at the 2008 Qatar Telecom German Open."

The tournament runs from May 5-11. (via On the Baseline, photos Getty Images)

Serena Williams withdrew from the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, a Tier II tournament which starts February 11. The reason was urgent medical treatment.

Last week, Williams pulled out of the ongoing Open Gaz de France because of emergency dental surgery.

Still, the Proximus Diamond Games expects seven Top 20 players to participate, including world number one Justine Henin who will headline the tournament. Also, one wildcard is still available, and it will be given to either Nadia Petrova or Elena Dementieva. (via On the Baseline, photo via Getty Images)