This is a bit old news that I didn't have time to report earlier: Dinara Safina has entered the Brisbane International, a warm-up tournament for the Australian Open, despite the serious back injury which forced her to pull out of the Sony Ericsson Championships and threatened her participation in the first Grand Slam of the year.

"The Brisbane International will be the perfect tournament to get some tough match practice in the lead-up to the Australian Open. I am looking forward to the challenge and I cannot wait to get there," said Safina who handed Serena Williams the year-end No.1 ranking by withdrawing from the Sony Ericsson Championships.

Safina joins Justine Henin, Kim Clijsters and Ana Ivanovic in a very strong women's field at the Brisbane International. (source: ESPN, photo via Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

Ana Ivanovic and Fernando Verdasco had been dating since the 2008 US Open, but the word is out that their romantic relationship has ended.

According to a friend of Ana's, the tennis star broke up with her boyfriend earlier this month, during the tournament in Brisbane.

I have to say it was suspicious. Those statements of Ana and Fernando, that tennis comes first, plus, I don't remember seeing a picture of them together this year. Moreover, Ivanovic was training in Australia for some time already, and Verdasco was nowhere to be seen. Also, Ana lost in the quarterfinals of the Brisbane International, but she didn’t stay at the tournament to watch Fernando, who went all the way to the finals. Instead, Ivanovic flew to Melbourne right away.

I’m kind of happy for Ana. She can do much better, and she's proved it. As some of you may have noticed from my comments, I didn’t feel their relationship from the start, even though they were being spotted together all the time. (source: Fox Sports)

Second seed Victoria Azarenka defeated Marion Bartoli 6-3 6-1 in the final of the Brisbane International to claim her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title.

Prior to the final in Brisbane, the 19-year-old Belorussian reached four WTA finals, but always ended up as runner-up: in Estoril and Tashkent in 2007 and Gold Coast and Prague in 2008.

However, this time it was different. Azarenka dominated the third-seeded Frenchwoman, breaking serve six times and winning in 71 minutes.

Azarenka didn’t drop a set on her way to the Brisbane International title, but that doesn’t mean she was unchallenged. The world No.15 was pushed to the limits by Jarmila Gajdosova in the second round (76(4) 75) and by Lucie Safarova (76(5) 64) in the quarterfinals. (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, photo via Brisbane International)

Second seed Victoria Azarenka beat Italian Sara Errani in the Brisbane semifinals, while Marion Bartoli advanced when Amelie Mauresmo retired hurt during the first set of their semifinal.

"I'm obviously very happy – I just want to do better than the last time and win my first title," said the last year’s finalist Azarenka who went past Errani 6-3 6-1 in just over an hour. "I will fight for every point. It's the last match so you have to give everything you have and stay positive no matter what."

In the other semifinal, Mauresmo, who beat top seed Ana Ivanovic in the Brisbane quarters, retired trailing 0-4 to fellow Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli. During the match, Mauresmo received medical treatment to her left thigh and lower back.

"It's frustrating and not how you want to end the tournament but I guess it's more sensible to make sure I'm 100% for Melbourne," said Mauresmo whose participation in next week’s Medibank International in Sydney has become uncertain.

Azarenka and Bartoli have played just once so far, in the second round of the 2007 Australian Open, and the Belorussian won in straight sets. (source: Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, photos by Elsa/Getty Images via Sony Ericsson WTA Tour)

Top seed Ana Ivanovic of Serbia was upset by Amelie Mauresmo 6-3 6-2 in the Brisbane International quarterfinals.

World No.5 Ivanovic struggled for rhythm throughout the match and was shaky on serve, losing five of her last six service games after leading 3-2 in the first set.

In a battle between two former world No.1s, the 23rd-ranked Mauresmo scored her first triumph over a Top-10 player in almost two years.

"I’m very proud of the way I played today from the first one to the last," said the 29-year-old Mauresmo.

The fifth-seeded Mauresmo faces third-seeded fellow Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli in the semifinals, while Ivanovic now heads to Melbourne to prepare for the Australian Open. (source: Brisbane International)