Novak Djokovic beat Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6 6-3 6-3 to win the Rome Masters in Rome, Italy.

Dina Safina defeated Elena Dementieva 3-6 6-2 6-2 to win the Qatar Telecom German Open in Berlin, Germany.

Thomas Muster won the BlackRock Tour of Champions in Rome, Italy, by a walkover when Goran Ivanisevic was unable to play because of a shoulder injury.

SAYINGS

“This year has been like a dream for me, but I want to continue. I want to finish the year as number one.” - Novak Djokovic, who added the Rome Masters to his 2008 Australian Open title.

“My mother can buy anything she wants. She can walk into any store and I will pay for it.” - Dina Safina, after beating her third top-ten player of the week and winning the German Open.

“I’m a little surprised, because in one week playing the final in Masters Series, and to be 44 and then top ten after the week is a big jump for me.” - Stanislas Wawrinka, whose surprising week at the Rome Masters has boosted his ranking from number 44 in the world to number 10.

“It happens once in a while, but never anything like this - a tournament without semifinals.” - American tennis commentator Bud Collins on players retiring from both Rome Masters semifinals because of injuries.

“The problem is there’s a real risk the injury might get worse.” - Amelie Mauresmo, who said a scan showed she has an intercostal tear in her rib area, the reason she has pulled out of two tournaments, including the Italian Open.

“This is another showing that the season is really tough. The players are not getting injured for nothing.” - Novak Djokovic, after both Rome Masters semifinals ended with retirements because of injury.

“We are aware that this year’s calendar asks a great deal of all ATP players in terms of scheduling for the European spring clay court season.” - Andy Anson, ATP CEO of Europe, about the players’ complaints of the packed ATP calendar.

“You can put me on the list if you want to, but I don’t know if I can keep playing like this. This week I played so good, starting with Justine (Henin), just so good.” - Dina Safina, when asked if she should be considered one of the favorite for the French Open women’s title later this month.

“I came into the match with the belief that I can win.” - Radek Stepanek, after upsetting Roger Federer 7-6 (4) 7-6 (7) in the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters.

“It’s quite disappointing. I played so poorly on the big points.” - Roger Federer, after losing to Radek Stepanek.

“If someone had told me I would be in the final I would have shaken his hand and given him half the prize money.” - Dinara Safina before she won the German Open title.

“I definitely lost that match, rather than she won it off me. It just wasn’t my day out there. It wasn’t pretty for me out there at all.” - Serena Williams, following her 2-6 6-1 7-6 (5) loss to Dinara Safina at the German Open.

“It’s a very important win for me and I feel special right now. I haven’t had this special feeling for a long time.” - Juan Carlos Ferrero, after handing Rafael Nadal only his second loss on clay in three years, 7-5 6-1 in the second round of the Rome Masters.

“I have this pain at the back of my foot, so it was tough for me. I just congratulate Juan Carlos. I think this is an important win for him because he’s trying to go to the Olympics.” - Rafael Nadal, after losing to Juan Carlos Ferrero.

“This dispute isn’t specifically about whether or not Madrid is the venue. The players and Davis Cup team captain (Emilio Sanchez Vicario) have once again been misled, and a promise has not been kept to defend and approve the conditions established for us so as not to give our rivals an advantage.” - Statement from Spain’s top players complaining about the choice of venue for September’s Davis Cup semifinal against the United States.

“It just comes to the point where the schedule is too long without the biggest sporting event in the world shoved right in the middle of its busiest part of the season.” - Andy Roddick, saying he’s skipping the Beijing Olympics tennis tournament to instead prepare for the U.S. Open

“For my favorite fan base - 75-year-old women - this proves to you that can still be young at an advanced age.” - John McEnroe, 49, after winning his first Outback Champions Series title in Boston in his 13^th career tournament on the 30-and-over tour.

SUPER RUN

Dina Safina rode her string of upsets to the title at the Qatar Telecom German Open in Berlin, Germany. The 22-year-old Russian knocked off world number one Justine Henin, then fifth-seeded Serena Williams during the week. In the final, Safina beat ninth-ranked Elena Dementieva 3-6 6-2 6-2. Safina is the sister of two-time Grand Slam tournament champion Marat Safin.

SWISS SURPRISE

Switzerland has been represented in many tournament finals over the past few years, but the Rome Masters produced a surprise from the Alpine confederation. It was Stanislas Wawrinka, not Roger Federer, who reached the title match before Novak Djokovic struggled to a 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory. Wawrinka’s run included victories over two top ten players, James Blake and Andy Roddick, as well as Britain’s Andy Murray and Juan Carlos Ferrero right after he had shocked fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal. The run to the final boosted Wawrinka’s ranking to number 10 in the world, make it the first time since the rankings began in 1973 that two Swiss players have been in the top ten at the same time.

SHORT SEMIS

The Rome Masters singles semifinals lasted all of 10 games. Total. Andy Roddick pulled out of his match against Stanislas Wawrinka with a back injury while trailing 0-3. Then Radek Stepanek retired from his semifinal with Novak Djokovic leading 6-0 1-0. Djokovic’s quarterfinal opponent, Nicolas Almagro, also retired with an injury. And although he didn’t retire, defending champion Rafael Nadal suffered from a blister on his right foot in his second-round loss to Juan Carlos Ferrero. In all, there were a tournament-record five retirements as Fernando Gonzalez withdrew from his third-round match because of a right leg injury and Juan Martin Del Potro retired in his first-round match against Andy Murray.

SHORT FINAL

Fans at the Rome Masters should have expected as much. One day after both men’s singles semifinals were drastically shortened because of injury retirements, the BlackRock Tour of Champions final wasn’t held at all: Goran Ivanisevic, who beat Pat Cash on Saturday in three sets, woke up Sunday with a sore shoulder and couldn’t play, giving the title to Thomas Muster on a walkover. Muster did take to the court, however, playing an exhibition match with Henri Leconte.

SHOCKING WEEK

The top two players in both the men’s and women’s singles- Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, and Justine Henin and Ana Ivanovic - were among the big names who were upset in tournaments the past week, the men in Rome and the women in Berlin. Others who were upset this week included Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelena Jankovic and Serena Williams in Berlin, while David Ferrrer, James Blake and David Nalbandian were among those toppled in Rome.

SPANISH IRE

Spanish players are upset that their nation’s Davis Cup semifinal against the United States will be played in Madrid. The players, who want to play at sea-level where the ball would be slower, feel that Madrid’s 600-meter (1,968 feet) altitude will favor the big-serving American team. Emilio Sanchez Vicario was confirmed as team captain even though Sanchez sided with the players in complaining that Spanish Tennis Federation president Pedro Munoz had gone back on a promise to listen to the players’ advice regarding the selection of the site. Munoz said: “They can say I didn’t keep my promise, but not that I lied.”

SHARAPOVA SURGE

Maria Sharapova’s decision to skip the German Open has proved beneficial to her ranking. When Ana Ivanovic was upset in the semifinals of the Berlin tournament by Elena Dementieva, it meant the Serbian player would slip from her world number two ranking and be overtaken by Sharapova. The Russian still hasn’t said why she pulled out of the Berlin event.

SKIPPING ROME

Two-time champion Amelie Mauresmo has pulled out of this week’s Italian Open because of a rib injury. The Frenchwoman won the Rome tournament in 2004 and 2005 and has twice been runner-up. Mauresmo was replaced in the draw by Nadia Petrova.

STAKING A CLAIM

Madison Brengle, an 18-year-old from Dover, Delaware, earned a spot in the main draw of the French Open after winning a USTA wild card tournament in Boca Raton, Florida. Currently ranked number 274 in the world, Brengle has now won four USTA wild card playoffs - for the Australian Open main draw wild cards in 2007 and 2008, and a French Open qualifying draw wild card in 2007. The U.S. Tennis Association and the French Tennis Federation have a reciprocal agreement in which wild card entries into the main draw at the 2008 French Open and 2008 U.S. Open are exchanged.

STEPPING UP

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has appointed Andrew Jarrett as Chief of Officiating. A former British Davis Cup player, Jarrett coached the British Olympic team and has been manager of Women’s National Training at the Lawn Tennis Association. He is a gold badge referee and has worked as a Grand Slam supervisor at the Australian Open and U.S. Open. In 2006, he was appointed Wimbledon referee.

SITE FOR SENIORS

Three players who have been ranked number one in the world and have been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame - John McEnroe, Jim Courier and Mats Wilander - will play in the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport, Rhode Island, August 13-17. The three Hall of Famers will be joined by five other tennis champions in the five-day singles round-robin competition.

SO CLOSE

While heavy fighting was going on in the country, Anne Keothavong of Britain beat Lourdes Dominguez-Lino of Spain 6-4 6-1 to win a $50,000 International Tennis Federation women’s tournament in Jounieh, Lebanon. Jounieh is located eight miles (30 kilometers) north of Beirut, which for four days during the week was the focus of bloody sectarian clashes between Sunnis and Shiites. The tournament was conducted with no problems.

SO TIRED

Justine Henin was slapped with a $20,000 (USD) fine by the WTA Tour when the world number one player was a late withdrawal from the Italian Open, citing fatigue. Henin lost in the third round of the German Open this past week after taking a month off with a knee injury. The four-time French Open champion will head to Roland Garros with having played just two clay court matches this spring.

SHIPPING STAR

Chinese star Peng Shuai helped celebrate the 100-day countdown to the Beijing Olympics by becoming UPS’s star Courier For A Day. The first stop for courier Peng was the Beijing Organizing Committee where she presented a letter for commitment from United Parcel Service, one of the sponsors of the Games. Then Peng headed to the China Charity Federation to make a special delivery. Besides sponsoring the 2008 Paralympics Games, the UPS Foundation is donating $100,000 (USD) to the China Paralympics Games Management Center.

SERBIAN STARLET?

Jelena Jankovic says she has been taking acting lessons, with a possible movie role in the future. “It was super,” she said of the acting lesson. “I’ve always enjoyed activity that is not connected with tennis. It (the lesson) lasted only an hour. I got instructions to use my imagination and I acted the scene without anybody’s advice. At the end we did several exercises because they wanted to test my acting talent.”

STUMBLES

Kimiko Date-Krumm’s comeback ran into reality in Fukuoka, Japan. Ranked as high as number five in the world, Date-Krumm’s second tournament back from a 12-year retirement ended in the quarterfinals of the $50,000 International Tennis Federation event when she lost to top-seeded Aiko Nakamura 6-2 6-2. The eventual winner was Tomoko Yonemura of Japan, who beat Thailand’s Tamarin Tanasugarn in the final 6-1 2-6 7-6 (8). In her first tournament back, Date-Krumm won the doubles. This time she and her partner lost in the first round.

SEE FOR YOURSELF

ESPN360.com will provide more than 150 hours of live online tennis coverage from Sony Ericsson WTA Tour events around the world. The coverage has already begun and will conclude with coverage of the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar. Additionally, matches will be available for on-demand replay for at least 48 hours after their completion.

SUPPORTING THE SPORT

Juan Maria Tintore, president of the Real Club De Tenis Barcelona, has been awarded the Golden Achievement Award for 2008 by the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The award is presented annually to individuals who have made important contributions to tennis in the fields of administration, promotion or education, and have devoted long and outstanding service to the sport. Tintore was presented the award at a ceremony in Barcelona by Arantxa Sanchez Vicario.

SCORING DAVIS CUP

Bosnia/Herzegovina, Lithuania, Moldova and Norway took another step toward being promoted to Davis Cup Europe/Africa Zone Group II next year. Competing in an eight-nation round-robin competition played on clay in Yerevan, Armenia, the four will now play for two spots in Group II. The other four nations - Armenia, Andorra, Estonia and Ghana - will meet, with the teams finishing third and fourth being relegated to Europe/Africa Zone Group IV in 2009.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Doubles Champions

Rome: Bob and Mike Bryan beat Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic 3-6 6-4 10-8

Berlin: Cara Black and Liezel Huber beat Nuria Llagostera Vives and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 3-6 6-2 10-2

SITES TO SURF

Hamburg: www.dtb-tennis.de/AmRothenbaum/

Rome: www.internazionalibnlditalia.it

Duesseldorf: www.arag-world-team-cup.com

Poertschach: www.atppoertschach.info

Casablanca: www.frmtennis.com

Istanbul: www.istanbulcup.com

Strasbourg: www.internationaux-de-strasbourg.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

ATP

$2,270,000 Hamburg Masters, Hamburg, Germany, clay

WTA TOUR

$1,340,000 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Rome, Italy, clay

SENIORS

BlackRock Tour of Champions Hamburg, Germany, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP

$1,500,000 ARAG ATP World Team Championship, Duesseldorf, Germany, clay

$370,000 The Hypo Group Tennis International 2008, Poertschach, Austria, clay

$370,000 Grand Prix Hassan II, Casablanca, Morocco, clay

WTA TOUR

$200,000 Istanbul Cup, Istanbul, Turkey, clay

$175,000 Internationaux de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France, clay

$1,340,000 Qatar Telecom German Open, Berlin, Germany, clay

SENIORS

BlackRock Tour of Champions, Sao Paulo, Brazil, clay

Rafael Nadal won his fourth straight Barcelona, Spain, title, the Open Sabadell Atlanatico, defeating David Ferrer 6-1, 4-6, 6-1

Fernando Gonzalez beat Simone Bolelli 7-6 (4) 6-7 (4) 6-3 to win the BMW Open in Munich, Germany

Vera Zvonareva won the ECM Prague Open, beating Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (2) 6-2 in Prague, Czech Republic

Gisela Dulko beat Anabel Medina Garrigues 7-6 (2) 7-6 (5) to win the Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Fez, Morocco

John McEnroe won the Champions Cup Boston, beating Aaron Krickstein 5-7 6-3 10-5 (Tiebreak) in Boston, Massachusetts

Viktoria Kutuzova beat Maret Ani 6-1 7-5 in Cagnes-Sur-Mer, France, to win a $100,000 ITF women’s tournament.

Tamarine Tanasugarn beat Kimiko Date-Krumm 4-6 7-5 6-2 to win an ITF women’s tournament in Gifu, Japan.

SAYINGS

“When I did make mistakes, in the second set, David was unstoppable, but I kept very focused throughout and I am very happy to be the first man to win four years in a row.” - Rafael Nadal, after winning his fourth consecutive Barcelona Open.

“I think I played a good match, but what can you do? That’s Rafa.” - David Ferrer, following his 6-1 4-6 6-1 loss to fellow Spaniard Rafael Nadal for the Barcelona title.

“It’s a great relief for me.” - Vera Zvonareva, who won the ECM Prague Open, her first in 2008 after finishing second in three other finals this year.

“If someone had told me beforehand that I could reach the semifinals, I would have jumped at it.” - Younes El Aynaoui, who, at age 36, reached the semifinals of the BMW Open in Munich, Germany, before being edged by eventual champion Fernando Gonzalez 3-6 6-4 6-3.

“I felt I was regaining the feeling of playing tennis every day.” - Kimiko Date-Krumm, who ended a 12-year retirement by reaching the singles title match, which she lost, and winning the doubles in an ITF women’s tournament in Gifu, Japan.

“I took my opportunities and went for my shots. That probably made the difference today.” - Gisela Dulko, after winning the title in Fes, Morocco.

“A 13-day schedule, we feel, is about the right amount of time to get value of matches. … We see no need for change in 2008.” - Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, explaining why there will be no play at Wimbledon on the middle Sunday this year.

“I’m thrilled with this. This is exactly right: an international city, different cultures.” - WTT co-founder Billie Jean King on the Washington Kapitals joining World TeamTennis and playing its matches in the center of the city.

“My shoulder is not up to it. I have been having pain with it again and again.” - Tommy Haas, after pulling out of this BMW Open in Munich, Germany, with a persistent shoulder injury.

STREAKING ALONG

Rafael Nadal is on a roll. Nadal defeated fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 6-1 4-6 6-1 to become the first man to win the Barcelona Open four straight years. Nadal has now won his last two tournaments and increased his clay-court winning streak to 20 consecutive matches. The lefthander is 117-3 on clay since the start of the 2005 season and has won 103 of his last 104 matches on the surface.

STREAK SNAPPED

Fernando Gonzalez of Chile won his second tournament of the year, edging Italy’s Simone Bolelli 7-6 (4) 6-7 (4) 6-3 for the BMW Open title in Munich, Germany. This year was the first time in 19 years that no German player reached the quarterfinals.

SURFACING AGAIN

When Kimiko Date-Krumm decided to end a 12-year retirement, she felt she should start at the bottom. Gaining a wild card into qualifying of a $50,000 ITF event in Giru, Japan, Date, once ranked as high as number four in the world, won six straight matches before falling in the final to Tamarine Tanasugarn 4-6 7-5 6-2. Date didn’t come away empty-handed, however. She teamed with Kurumi Nara to win the doubles.

SAYS BETTING IS OK

A French court says it’s OK to bet on matches at Roland Garros. The court ruled that betting companies like bwin did not violate the rights of the French Tennis Federation by offering bets on Roland Garros matches. The federation had filed a lawsuit, saying online betting stained the reputation of the clay court championship, especially in the wake of Internet gambling scandals. But the European Gaming & Betting Association said the court had concluded “these operations had behaved in a prudent and diligent matter.” It is not known if the French federation will take further legal action against the betting companies.

SHOOTING FROM THE LIP

Maria Sharapova is upset because the WTA Tour demands that she participate in a publicity shoot on the eve of the Italian Open. According to Sharapova, the women’s tour wants several top players, including the Australian Open champion, to take part in a four-hour commercial shoot for WTA Tour marketing materials. If she refuses to participate in the photo shoot, Sharapova could be fined $300,000, Sharapova said. A WTA Tour spokesperson said: “Players have many obligations both on and off the court, and what is being asked of players in Rome is in the rules.”

SACRED SUNDAY

The middle Sunday will remain sancrosant at Wimbledon - at least for now. While admitting there are strong arguments in favor of making “People’s Sunday” a permanent fixutre, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club says it felt no need for change this year. The wettest Wimbledon in 25 years played havoc with the schedule last year, and Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, among others, criticized the club for not scheduling play on the middle Sunday.

SPOT IN PARIS

Wayne Odesnik has a spot in this year’s French Open after winning a wild card in Boca Raton, Florida, by defeating Jesse Levine 6-2 7-5. The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) and French Tennis Federation have a reciprocal agreement in which wild card entries into the main draw at the 2008 French Open and the 2008 U.S. Open are exchanged.

STACKING POUNDS

Roger Federer isn’t really looking at the money, but if he should win his sixth straight Wimbledon title in July he will take 750,000 pounds ($1.49 million) to the bank. That’s an increase of 7.1 percent over what he collected last year as singles champion. The women’s winner will receive the same amount as Wimbledon continues its equal prize money payout. The total prize money will rise by 4.7 percent, to 11,812,000 pounds. The doubles champions will each earn more than one million pounds for the first time, with the winning pairs receiving 230,000 pounds.

SLEEPLESS NIGHTS

Anastasia Myskina, who won Roland Garros in 2004, gave birth to a son, Zhenya, on April 28 in Moscow. Myskina missed most of last year with a left foot injury before announcing she was pregnant. She has not said whether she will return to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. The righthander was the first Russian to win a Grand Slam title and the first to break into the Top 10 in the rankings, reaching as high as number two in the world.

SOCIAL EVENT

Billie Jean King and the Class of 2008 - Michael Chang, Mark McCormack and Eugene Scott - will be honored at the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s Legends Ball, which will be held in New York City on September 5, the last Friday of the U.S. Open. More than a dozen Hall of Famers and other tennis dignitaries will be on hand when the third annual Eugene L. Scott Award will be presented to Billie Jean King. The award honors an individual who embodies Scott’s commitment to communicating honestly and critically about the game, and who has had a significant impact on the tennis world.

SPANISH BATTLE

Ten cities are bidding for the right to stage the Davis Cup semifinal September 19-21 when Spain takes on the defending champion United States. The cities are: Barcelona, Benidom, Gijon, Jerez de la Frontera, Madrid, Malaga, Marbella, Murcia, Santa Cruz de Tenerife and Santander. A decision is expected on May 9. The highest attendance for a Davis Cup tie was set in Seville, Spain, in 2004 when an average of 27,200 watched Spain win the fabled Cup by defeating the United States in the final 3-2

SERENA TO D.C.

Serena Williams is off to Washington this year to play World TeamTennis. While the eight-time Grand Slam singles champion is scheduled to play four of the Washington Kastles’ 14 regular-season matches, she will join the team for only one contest in Washington - that coming on July 8 against the Boston Lobsters. Also on the Kapitals’ roster are Justin Gimelstob, Mashona Washington, Scott Oudsema and Sacha Jones.

STARS ON PARADE

How trendy are tennis players? Well, Tommy Robredo, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Nicolas Almagro, Fernando Verdasco and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez have been featured in an eight-page magazine spread titled “Spanish Tennis Is Trendy.” The magazine is a weekly supplement of Diario AS, a daily sports newspaper in Spain.

SHOULDER STOPPER

Not only did Tommy Haas pull out of the BMW Open in Hamburg, Germany, with a persistent shoulder injury, he says he may not be able to play at Roland Garros later this month. Haas, once ranked as high as number two in the world, has suffered first-round losses in four of the seven tournaments he has played this year. In only one event, an ATP Masters in Indian Wells, California, did Haas reach the quarterfinals, losing to Roger Federer. He retired in his first-round match at Monte Carlo to Olivier Rochus while trailing 6-1 3-0.

SHARAPOVA OUT

Maria Sharapova and Daniela Hantuchova have withdrawn from this week’s Germany Open. The Australian Open champion, Sharapova has not played since losing to Serena Williams in the quarterfinals of the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina, on April 19. She has not revealed her injury. Hantuchova, ranked number ten in the world, withdrew because of a stress fracture in her right foot.

SUCCESS STILL DENIED

Jelena Dokic is having a hard time getting her career restarted. Once ranked as high as number five in the world, Dokic was a first-round loser at the Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem in Fez, Morocco, falling to Greta Arn of Hungary 6-4 6-2. Dokic successfully qualified for the main draw at Fez, just as she had at Hobart, Australia, in January. At Hobart, Dokic trailed Italy’s Flavia Pennetta 5-0 in the second round when she retired.

SHARED PERFORMANES

Barcelona: Bob and Mike Bryan beat Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 6-3 6-2

Munich: Rainer Schuettler and Michael Berrer beat Scott Lipsky and David Martin 7-5 3-6 10-8

Prague: Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka beat Jill Craybus and Michaella Krajicek 1-6 6-3 10-6

Fes: Sorana Cirstea and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova beat Alisa Kleybanova and Ekaterina Makarova 6-2 6-2

Cagnes-Sur-Mer: Monica Niculescu and Renata Voracova beat Julie Coin and Marie-Eve Pelletier 6-7 (2) 6-1 10-5

Gifu: Kimiko Date-Krumm and Kurumi Nara beat Melanie South and Nicole Thyssen 6-1 6-7 (8) 10-7

SITES TO SURF

Rome: www.internazionalibnlditalia.it

Berlin: www.german-open.org

Hamburg: www.dtb-tennis.de/AmRothenbaum/

Outback Champions: www.ChampionsSeriesTennis.com

BlackRock Champions: www.blackrocktourofchampions.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

ATP

$2,270,000 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Rome, Italy, clay

WTA TOUR

$1,340,000 Qatar Telecom German Open, Berlin, Germany, clay

SENIORS

BlackRock Tour of Champions, Rome, Italy, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP

$2,270,000 Hamburg Masters, Hamburg, Germany, clay

WTA Tour

$1,340,000 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Rome, Italy, clay

SENIORS

BlackRock Tour of Champions Hamburg, Germany, clay

Rafael Nadal won his first title of 2008 and his fourth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters, defeating Roger Federer 7-5 7-5.

Nuria Llagostera Vives won both of her singles and teamed up to capture the doubles and lead Spain over China 4-1 and into the Fed Cup World Group finals.

Vera Zvonareva beat Vania King to clinch the Fed Cup World Group semifinals victory as Russia beat the United States 3-2.

Marcelo Rios beat Michael Stich 6-3 6-3 to win the BlackRock Champions Cup in Barcelona, Spain.

SAYINGS

“Winning four times here is unimaginable.” - Rafael Nadal, who became the first player to win four straight titles at Monte Carlo since Anthony Wilding of New Zealand did it from 1911-14.

“He deserves to win. I’m pushing Rafa today, having the feeling I can beat him if I play the right way. That’s the feeling I didn’t have after (Monte Carlo) last year.” - Roger Federer after his 7-5 7-5 loss to Rafael Nadal for the Monte Carlo Masters title.

“I knew I could do it, but there were times when I wondered.” - Robert Dee, who finally won his first professional match after 54 consecutive losses.

“It was my first match on red clay in almost two years. That’s why I was a little nervous at the start of the match.” - Vera Zvonareva, who beat Vania King 4-6 6-3 6-2 to give Russia an insurmountable 3-0 lead over the United States in their Fed Cup semifinal.

“I felt really sorry. I really didn’t want to lose.” - Peng Shuai, after losing 6-4 6-4 to Nuria Llagostera Vives as Spain clinched its Fed Cup semifinal victory over China.

“We knew we could win the tie, but we never expected to win three matches in a row.” - Nuria Llagostera Vives on Spain’s Fed Cup semifinal win.

“It’s not worth it. I’m just 20 years old. Still a lot of time, a lot of tournaments to come.” - Novak Djokovic, on how he felt it was too risky to continue his semifinal match against Roger Federer because of dizziness and a sore throat.

“Physically I was tired. That’s why next week is good. I don’t play any tournament.” - Nikolay Davydenko, who is taking a week off before playing in the Rome Masters.

“It’s still enjoyable. It’s nice to play the tournaments again where I have such great memories of what’s happened in the past.” - Gustavo Kuerten, after losing in the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters. Kuerten is on a farewell tour which will culminate at the Roland Garros.

“We should have both (Maria) Sharapova and (Svetlana) Kuznetsova in the lineup. I might even have them play doubles together.” - Russian captain Shamil Tarpishchev, talking about who might play for his team at the Fed Cup finals in September against Spain.

SUPER SPANIARD

Rafael Nadal joined Jim Courier as the only players in ATP Masters Series history to win both the singles and doubles at the same event. Nadal beat Roger Federer 7-5 7-5 for the singles title, and teamed with fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo to down Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles 6-3 6-3 for the doubles crown. Nadal is the first player to win both titles at Monte Carlo since Ilie Nastase in 1973. Courier won both titles in an ATP Masters Series tournament in 1991 at Indian Wells, California.

SUCCESS - FINALLY

Robert Dee walked off the tennis court a winner after 54 consecutive defeats. The Briton defeated Arzhang Derakhshani of the United states 6-4 6-3 in qualifying for a Futures tournament in Reus, near Barcelona in Spain. Dee’s 54-match losing streak was the worst since Diego Beltranena of Guatemala also lost 54 straight matches between 1997 and 2005, although Beltranena at least managed to win a set. Until his victory over Derakhshani, Dee had played 108 sets - losing them all - since turning pro.

SUCH A PAYDAY

The payout at Roland Garros this year will be more than 15.5 million euros, an increase of more than 2 percent from last year. With equal prize money again awaiting men and women, the champions will each pocket one million euros. The French Tennis Federation (FFT) said the biggest prize money increases are in the wheelchair events where the total prize money available is 60 percent higher than in 2007.

SMOKIN’ SEMIS

When Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Nikolay Davydenko reached the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, it marked the first time since Roland Garros in 2006 that the world’s top four ranked players were in the semifinals of the same tournament. It is the first time since the ATP Rankings began in 1973 that the top four-ranked players were semifinalists at Monte Carlo.

STOPPING THE BOMB

Frenchman Gael Monfils pulled off a unique feat in his 7-6 (8) 6-1 win over huge-serving Ivo Karlovic at the Monte Carlo Masters. Monfils didn’t concede a single ace against the 6-foot-10 Croatian. It was the first time in his career that Karlovic had failed to serve at least one ace in the match.

SITE SENSATIONAL

A record number of visitors checked out the Davis Cup web site as the nations played quarterfinals on April 11-13. The official site of the event, www.daviscup.com, recorded 4,568,701 page views, a 35 percent increase on the quarterfinals weekend in 2007. The total number of visitor sessions also saw a 39 percent rise from the previous year.

SO LONG

Clarisa Fernandez, who upset Kim Clijsters en route to the semifinals at Roland Garros in 2002, is calling it quits because of knee injuries. The lefthander from Argentina played her first professional tournament at an ITF event in Buenos Aires in 1997. She was ranked as high as number 26 in the world before undergoing surgeries in 2004, 2005 and 2007.

SEEKING HELP

Donald Young, the youngest player ranked in the ATP Top 100, will work out at Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida. It is one of the first examples of the USTA Elite Player Development’s new collaborative approach with top coaches and private academies in a bid to develop the next generation of American champions. The USTA also announced that three top junior prospects - 12-year-old Sachia Vickery, 12-year-old of Victoria Duval and 9-year-old Alicia Black - will be working with Bollettieri.

STAYING HOME

Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish, two of America’s top three players, will skip the Beijing Olympics, opting instead for a U.S. Open tuneup event. Roddick will defend his title and Fish will join him at the ATP Washington Classic, which will be played August 9-17 opposite the Olympic men’s tennis tournament. Fish was a silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

SPANISH SHOCKER

Spain being in the Fed Cup final is no surprise. Peng Shuai losing three matches and Spain crushing China 4-1 in the semifinal at Beijing are shockers. Peng was the highest ranked singles player in the competition, ranked number 68 in the world. She and Sun Tian Tian are ranked ninth in the world in doubles. Instead, Nuria Llagostera Vives won three matches, teaming with Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez in the doubles, while Carla Suarez-Navarro, ranked number 132 in the world, beat Peng in straight sets.

SHARAPOVA READY

Russia will have Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova for its Fed Cup final against Spain in September. Sharapova made her Fed Cup debut against Israel in February and won both of her singles matches to lead Russia to a 4-1 quarterfinal victory. Svetlana Kuznetsova led Russia to a 3-2 win over the United States in semifinal play. Against Spain, Russia could field both Sharapova and Kuznetsova, who are ranked third and fourth in world, respectively.

SPONSOR

BoscoSport, a Russian sporting goods company, is the new official clothing sponsor of Fed Cup. It will outfit the linespeople and ball kids at all Fed Cup ties. BoscoSport has been the official Russian Olympic team outfitter since the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games and is also the outfitter of the Russian Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams.

SCRIBE

Bud Collins has written a new book about tennis. The writer, historian and Tennis Hall of Fame member has written The Bud Collins History of Tennis, which is due in bookstores later this spring in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and is available now with internet retailers. Collins’ achievements include being the recipient of the ATP’s 2007 Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award.

SHARED PERFORMANCE

Doubles Champions

Monte Carlo: Rafael Nadal and Tommy Robredo beat Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles 6-3 6-3.

SCORING FED CUP

World Group Playoffs

Italy beat Ukraine 3-2; France beat Japan 4-1; Argentina beat Germany 3-2; Czech Republic beat Israel 3-2

World Group II Playoffs

Belgium beat Colombia 5-0; Switzerland beat Austria 3-2; Slovak Republic beat Uzbekistan 5-0; Serbia beat Croatia 3-2

SITES TO SURF

Barcelona: www.opensabadellatlantico.com

Munich: www.bmwopen.de

Fes: www.frmt.ma/

Prague: www.pragueopen.cz

Rome: www.internazionalibnlditalia.it

Berlin: www.german-open.org

Boston: www.championsseriestennis.com/boston2008

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

ATP

$824,000 Open Sabadell Atlantico 2008, Barcelona, Spain, clay

$370,000 BMW Open, Munich, Germany, clay

WTA TOUR

$145,000 Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Fes, Morocco, clay

$145,000 ECM Prague Open, Prague, Czech Republic, clay

SENIORS

$150,000 Outback Champions Cup Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, hard

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP

$2,270,000 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Rome, Italy, clay

WTA TOUR

$1,340,000 Qatar Telecom German Open, Berlin, Germany, clay

SENIORS

BlackRock Tour of Champions Rome, clay

STARS

Roger Federer won his first title of the season, the Estoril Open, when Nikolay Davydenko retired with a leg injury while trailing 7-6 (5) 1-2 at Estoril, Portugal.

Serena Williams defeated Vera Zvonareva 6-4 3-6 6-3 to win her third tournament of the year, the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina.

David Ferrer captured the Valencia Open, downing Nicolas Almagro 4-6, 6-2 7-6 (2) at Valencia, Spain.

Marcel Granollers-Pujol upset top-seeded James Blake 6-4 1-6 7-5 to capture the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships in Houston, Texas.

Maria Kirilenko won the Estoril Open women’s singles by stopping Iveta Benesova 6-4 6-2 at Estoril, Portugal.

Stephanie Cohen-Alora beat Jelena Kostanic Tosic 6-2 7-5 to win the $100,000 ITF clay court event at Saint-Malo, France.

Jim Courier defeated Wayne Ferreira 7-6 (3) 7-6 (1) to win the $150,000 The Residences at The Ritz Carlton Legends Championships in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

SAYINGS

“It’s not the way you want to win a tournament, but that’s just the way it goes sometime.” - Roger Federer, who won his first title of 2008 when Nikolay Davydenko retired with a leg injury.

“I feel like someone stole the title from me.” - Nicolas Almagro, seeking his third straight Valencia Open title, led the final set 5-2 before losing to David Ferrer 4-6 6-2 7-6 (2).

“My main goal is just to stay healthy. If I’m healthy and playing my best, it’s hard to beat me.” - Serena Williams, who won the Family Circle Cup, her first clay court title since 2002.

“It was the toughest tournament of my life.” - David Ferrer, who saved two match points in his quarterfinal match, then rallied from a 2-5 third-set deficit in the final to beat two-time defending champion Nicolas Almagro and win the Valencia Open.

“It’s the best day of my life, I think. I’m very happy for this.” - Marcel Granollers-Pujol, after upsetting James Blake to win his first ATP title, the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships.

“It wasn’t good for my tennis, not playing, but I had something to focus on while I was out. This was good and I used my time well.” - Mario Ancic, who while sidelined for nearly six months because of mononucleosis, used his time to study and just received his law degree from the University of Split, Croatia.

“The chances are very good that I will play. I’d love to get Switzerland back into the World Group.” - Roger Federer, announcing he will play Davis Cup against Belgium in the World Group Playoffs in September.

“She gets a lot of balls back, and those kind of players are usually around for a good 20 years.” - Serena Williams, about 18-year-old Alize Cornet of France, who reached the semifinals of the Family Circle Cup before falling to Williams 7-5 6-3.

“Oh, my God, if I play Serena tomorrow I hope not to be ridiculous.” - unseeded Alize Cornet, after winning her Family Circle Cup quarterfinal.

“I felt like I was playing in a bar. You play a long point, you try to get your breath back and all you’re breathing in is smoke.” - Marty Fish, who lost to Oscar Hernandez of Spain 6-2 7-6 (5) in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship where smoke from a concession stand wafted into the stadium.

“She’s one of the world’s top players. I just tried everything that I didn’t try in Miami, I guess, and it worked better for me today.” - Vera Zvonareva, after upsetting Jelena Jankovic in the Family Circle Cup quarterfinals 6-3 3-6 6-2. Zvonareva had lost to Jankovic in Miami.

“What else can I say. It has been a fantastic week.” - Maria Kirilenko, who won the Estoril Open women’s singles title after teaming with Flavia Pennetta to capture the doubles.

SNAPS SCHNEID

It wasn’t pretty, but the world’s number one player finally has a 2008 title. Playing in his first final of the year, Roger Federer won when Nikolay Davydenko retired with a leg injury while trailing 7-6 (5) 1-2 in the final of the Estoril Open. Davydenko, who received treatment on his left leg between sets, came up with the only service break of the match to begin the second set. His first career victory in Portugal gives Federer titles in 17 countries.

SNAPPISH

Rafael Nadal is upset with the ATP over what he called a “crazy calendar.” The Spaniard is upset that there are three Masters Series events within a four-week period, and said the schedule is not fair to European and clay court players. The prestigious Monte Carlo tournament is being played this week, and by May 18 the players will also have played the Rome and Hamburg Masters Series. Noting the Miami Masters Series was played earlier this year because of the NCAA basketball finals, Nadal said the men’s tennis governing body is more sensitive to interests in the United States.

SW19

Britain’s Tim Henman is returning to Wimbledon this year as a member of the BBC commentary team. As a player, Henman reached the semifinals at the All England Club four times. He retired last September after playing in a Davis Cup tie on the grass at Wimbledon.

STUDIOUS

After winning both singles matches and partnering Marin Cilic in a winning doubles effort to lead Croatia into the Davis Cup World Group Playoffs, Mario Ancic added another title to his resume: attorney. Ancic received his law degree from the University of Split, completing a nearly five-year study while rising to as high as number seven in the world. Mario’s older brother, Ivica, who also played on the ATP tour, earned a degree in economics, while younger sister Sanja, who was a Top Ten junior, is majoring in pharmaceutical studies in Zagreb.

SPORTSBALL GALA

Billie Jean King will be honored by the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health at its 14^th annual Sportsball Gala in New York City this week. Also being honored are Bryant Gumble, host of HBO Real Sports; Richard D. Parson, CEO of Time Warner; Terry McDonell, group editor of Sports Illustrated; and educator Dr. Dawn Morton-Rias. Funds raised at Sportsball support the institute’s community health education programs and research initiatives.

SWINGING AWAY

Ryan Harrison became only the 10^th 15-year-old to win a match on the ATP tour when he defeated Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay 6-4 6-3 in the opening round of the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships. At 15 years, 11 months, Harrison is the oldest of the group, which includes Franco Davin, Tommy Ho, Jimmy Arias, Michael Chang, Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, Richard Gasquet and Rafael Nadal. Davin was the youngest at 15 years, one month when he won a match in 1985.

SHOWING THE BEST

Wimbledon will remain on ESPN through at least 2013. The network agreed to a six-year contract extension and will air about 100 hours of the tournament each year, including one men’s and one women’s semifinal. As part of the new deal, ESPN will show matches online. Last year NBC and Wimbledon agreed to a four-year contract extension through 2011.

SCOTT HONORED

Sony Ericsson WTA Tour chairman and CEO Larry Scott is a new inductee into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame. Past inductees include Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, Don Budge, Mary Carillo, Vitas Gerulaitis, John McEnroe and Gladys Heldman. Scott has been CEO of the women’s tour since April 15, 2003.

SAY WHO?

With Lindsay Davenport and sisters Venus and Serena Williams sitting on the sidelines, the United States will send teenager Madison Brengle, former South African player Liezel Huber, Vania King and Ahsha Rolle into the Fed Cup semifinal against Russia. Huber, who spent four years on the South African Fed Cup team, became a U.S. citizen last July. The Russians will counter with Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anna Chakvetadze, Dinara Safina and Elena Vesnina on an indoor clay court in Moscow.

SEMIS FOR CHINA

Spain will travel to Beijing, China, for this weekend’s other Fed Cup semifinal, which will be contested on an indoor hard court. Represented by Peng Shuai, Zheng Jie, Yan Zi and Sun Tian-Tian, China will be playing in the Fed Cup semifinals for the first time. The Spanish team is composed of Nuria Llagostera Vives, Carla Suarez-Navarro, Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez and Arantxa Parra-Santonja.

SWIFT DESCENT

Eight years after playing in the Davis Cup World Group, where it almost beat an Andre Agassi-led United States team, Zimbabwe has dropped all the way into the Europe/Africa Group Zone IV for 2009. Playing in Europe/Africa Zone Group III in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Zimbabwe lost all three matches against Turkey, Montenegro, Madagascar and Bulgaria. Zimbabwe won one of its three matches against Cote D’Ivoire. In 2000, playing at home in Harare, Zimbabwe took the Americans to the decisive fifth match which Chris Woodruff won in four sets.

SWIMMINGLY GOOD

When Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis and Germany’s Rainer Schuettler won the doubles title at the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships, the two took a celebratory swim in the pool at the River Oaks International Country Club, site of the tournament, much to the surprise of the club members. It was the first time Gulbis and Schuettler had teamed up, and it was Gulbis’ first career ATP title of any kind.

STAMP OF APPROVAL

Jelena Jankovic has her own postage stamp in her home country of Serbia. The stamp showing Jankovic was released in honor of the five-player Serbian National Tennis Team that will compete this summer in the Beijing Olympic Games.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Doubles Champions

Estoril Men: Jeff Coetzee and Wesley Moodie beat Jamie Murray and Kevin Ullyett 6-2 4-6 10-8 (Match TB)

Estoril Women: Maria Kirilenko and Flavia Pennetta beat Mervana Jugic-Salkic and Ipek Senoglu 6-4 6-4

Charleston: Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama beat Edina Gallovits and Olga Govortsova 6-2 6-2

Valencia: Maximo Gonzalez and Juan Monaco beat Travis Parrott and Filip Polasek 7-5 7-5

Houston: Ernests Gulbis and Rainer Schuettler beat Pablo Cuevas and Marcel Granollers-Pujol 7-5 7-6 (7-3)

Saint-Malo: Maria-Jose Martinez Sanchez and Arantxa Parra-Santonja beat Renata Voracova and Anastasia Yakimova 6-2 6-1

SITES TO SURF

Monte Carlo: http://montecarlo.masters-series.com/1/en/home/

Fed Cup: www.fedcup.com/

Barcelona: www.opensabadellatlantico.com

Munich: www.bmwopen.de

Fes: www.frmt.ma/

Prague: www.pragueopen.cz

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

ATP

$2,270,000 Monte Carlo Masters, Monte Carlo, Monaco, clay

FED CUP

(April 26-27)

World Group Semifinals

United States at Moscow, Russia, clay

Spain at Beijing, China, hard

World Group Playoffs

Ukraine at Olbia, Italy, clay; France at Tokyo, Japan, hard; Germany at Buenos Aires, Argentina, clay; Czech Republic at Ramat Hasharon, Israel, hard

World Group II Playoffs

Colombia at Mons, Belgium, hard; Switzerland at Dornbirn, Austria, hard; Uzbekistan at Bratislava, Slovak Republic, clay; Serbia at Zagreb, Croatia, hard

SENIORS

BlackRock Champions Cup, Barcelona, Spain, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP

$824,000 Open Sabadell Atlantico 2008, Barcelona, Spain, clay

$370,000 BMW Open, Munich, Germany, clay

WTA TOUR

$145,000 Grand Prix de SAR La Princesse Lalla Meryem, Fes, Morocco, clay

$145,000 ECM Prague Open, Prague, Czech Republic, clay

SENIORS

$150,000 Outback Champions Cup Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, hard

STAR

Maria Sharapova won her first clay court title, downing Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (7) 6-3 in the Bausch & Lomb Championships in Amelia Island, Florida.

SAYINGS

“It’s not the way I would have wanted to win.” - Nikolay Davydenko, who won his Davis Cup match when Tomas Berdych retired because of an injury, giving Russia an insurmountable 3-1 lead over the Czech Republic.

“These guys are human.” - United States captain Patrick McEnroe after twins Bob and Mike Bryan suffered only their second loss in 16 Davis Cup doubles matches, falling to Frenchmen Michael Llodra and Arnold Clement.

“It is just a great feeling when you do well for your country. Nothing else matters.” - Leander Paes, who, a day after saying teaming with Mahesh Bhupathi was the “worst mistake of my career,” teamed with Bhupathi to win the doubles against Japan and lift India into the Davis Cup World Group playoffs for the first time in three years.

“It was somewhat like football because representing Argentina is something unique, something which you feel in your skin.” - Guillermo Canas, after teaming with David Nalbandian to beat Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman and Robert Linstedt in doubles.

“What I lived today with my people was very exciting. I gave it all, run all the way to hell and back, and won. That’s why I could not stop the tears.” - A teary David Nalbandian following his 6-4 1-6 4-6 6-4 9-7 win over Robin Soderling to clinch Argentina’s Davis Cup quarterfinal victory over Sweden.

“I had a lot of chances. I missed so many easy shots. I made quite stupid mistakes today.” - Unseeded Dominika Cibulkova, who lost to top-seeded Maria Sharapova 7-6 (7) 6-3 in the final of the Bausch & Lomb Championships.

“I don’t want to be getting (wild cards) into events and taking the place of younger players. That wouldn’t be right.” - Kimiko Date, explaining why she will begin her comeback by playing in satellite tournaments before making a return to the WTA Tour.

SAD DAY

Former Austrian doubles player Daniela Klemenschits lost her battle with cancer. She was 25. Both Daniela and her twin sister, Sandra, were diagnosed with a rare form of abdominal cancer in January 2007, forcing them to retire from the WTA Tour. The sisters won 20 titles on the ITF women’s circuit and were ranked in the top 100 of the WTA Tour doubles in 2005.

SCARY OPPONENT

For the second straight Davis Cup tie, Nikolay Davydenko has not had to finish his tie-winning match. Tomas Berdych twisted his right ankle and retired against Davydenko, giving Russia an unbeatable 3-1 lead over the Czech Republic. In the first round, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic pulled out of his match against Davydenko because of illness, giving Russia a clinching 3-1 lead.

STEFFI STOPPER

Two exhibition victories over old foes convinced Japan’s Kimiko Date to return to professional tennis at the age of 37. Once ranked in the top five in the world, Date retired in 1996 after reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals at the Atlanta Olympics. When she beat Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova in an exhibition event in Tokyo, Date, now married, decided to try a comeback on the women’s tour, entering a tournament in Fukuoka, Japan, next month.

SPECIAL SAFIN

A surprise starter, Marat Safin repaid the confidence showed in him by coming back from two sets down for the first time in his career to beat Tomas Berdych 6-7 (5) 4-6 6-3 6-2 64 in the opening match of the Davis Cup tie between Russia and the Czech Republic. The Russian had won only one match this year while Berdych was coming off a semifinal finish at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. It was the first time in his career that Berdych has lost a five-set match.

SELLING OUT

The Tennis Channel Open is no more. Tennis Channel is selling the rights to its Las Vegas, Nevada, tournament to the ATP. The television network bought the tournament in 2005, when it was played in Scottsdale, Arizona, and moved it to Las Vegas in 2006.

SURGERY

India’s Sania Mirza has undergone arthroscopy wrist surgery that is expected to keep her off the WTA Tour for a month. The world number 31 has struggled with her wrist problem for over a year. The only Indian player to win a WTA Tour event, Mirza was sidelined for two months following knee surgery in March 2007.

STEPPING UP PRESSURE

Beginning in 2009, players will get ATP ranking points for playing in the Davis Cup World Group. Besides earning points for a win, players can get bonus points for winning a certain number of matches throughout the year. The International Tennis Federation and ATP said they made the decision to award points to encourage more top players to participate in the team event.

STEPPING DOWN

Felix Mantilla has called it quits. Once ranked in the top 10 in the world, the 33-year-old Spaniard retired a year after returning to the ATP Tour following treatment for skin cancer. In 1997, Mantilla won five tournaments, and the following reached the semifinals at Roland Garros.

SWINGING TOGETHER

Beginning in 2009, the grass-court tournament in Eastbourne, England, will have a combined men’s and women’s field. While Eastbourne has been on the WTA Tour for years, the men will join them after the ATP grass-court tournament in Nottingham, England, folds following this year’s event.

SEAT CHAMPIONS CUP

Two clay court masters - former world number one Marcelo Rios and two-time French Open champion Sergi Bruguera - have a chance at finally meeting on that surface when they compete in the Seat Champions Cup in Barcelona. Rios dominated the senior BlackRock Tour of Champions in 2006, winning six titles, while Brugera won seven senior tournaments last year. Rios has won two of their three previous meetings, but all were on hard courts.

SCORING DAVIS CUP

World Group Quarterfinals

Russia beat Czech Republic 3-2; Argentina beat Sweden 4-1; Spain beat Germany 4-1; United States beat France 4-1

Europe/Africa Zone Group 1 Second Round

Croatia beat Italy 3-2; Netherlands beat Macedonia 4-1; Switzerland beat Belarus 4-1; Slovak Republic beat Georgia 4-1 (Winners advance to World Group playoffs in September)

Americas Zone Group 1 Second Round

Chile beat Canada 3-2; Brazil beat Columbia 4-1 (Winners advance to World Group playoffs in September)

Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 Second Round

Australia beat Thailand 5-0; India beat Japan 3-2 (Australia and India advance to World Group playoffs in September)

Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 Playoffs

Chinese Taipei beat Kazakhstan 3-2; Uzbekistan beat Philippines 3-2

Europe/Africa Zone Group II First Round

Denmark beat Luxembourg 5-0; South Africa beat Finland 4-1; Algeria beat Hungary 3-2; Monaco beat Greece 3-2; Ukraine beat Egypt 5-0; Ireland beat Morocco 3-2; Cyprus beat Slovenia 3-2; Portugal beat Tunisia 4-1

Americas Zone Group II Relegation Playoffs

Netherlands Antilles beat Bolivia 3-2; Venezuela leads El Salvador 2-1

Asia/Oceania Zone Group II Second Round

China beat Indonesia 3-2; New Zealand beat Kuwait 5-0

Asia/Oceania Zone Group II Relegation Playoffs

Hong Kong beat Lebanon 3-2; Oman beat Pacific Oceania 3-2

SITES TO SURF

Family Circle Cup: www.familycirclecup.com

Estoril: www.estorilopen.net

Valencia: www.open-comunidad-valencia.com/

Houston: www.riveroaksinternational.com

Fed Cup: www.fedcup.com/

Monte Carlo: http://montecarlo.masters-series.com/1/en/home/

Barcelona: www.openseatbarcelona.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

ATP TOUR

$370,000 Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal, clay

$370,000 Open de Tenis Comunidad Valencia, Valencia, Spain, clay

$436,000 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships, Houston, Texas, clay

WTA TOUR

$1,340,000 Family Circle Cup, Charleston, South Carolina, clay

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP TOUR

$2,270,000 Monte Carlo Masters, Monte Carlo, Monaco, clay

FED CUP

(April 26-27)

World Group Semifinals

United States at Moscow, Russia, clay

Spain at Beijing, China, hard

World Group Playoffs

Ukraine at Olbia, Italy, clay; France at Tokyo, Japan, hard; Germany at Buenos Aires, Argentina, clay; Czech Republic at Ramat Hasharon, Israel, hard

World Group II Playoffs

Colombia at Mons, Belgium, hard; Switzerland at Dornbirn, Austria, hard; Uzbekistan at Bratislava, Slovak Republic, clay; Serbia at Zagreb, Croatia, hard

SENIORS

Seat Champions Cup, Barcelona, Spain, clay

STARS

Nikolay Davydenko became the first Russian to win the Sony Ericsson Open men’s singles crown at Miami, Florida, by crushing second-seeded Rafael Nadal 6-4 6-2.

Serena Williams outlasted Jelena Jankovic 6-1 5-7 6-3 to capture her fifth Sony Ericsson Open women’s singles title.

Bob and Mike Bryan finally won their first doubles championship of 2008, beating Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles 6-2 6-2 at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami.

Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama won their second doubles title as a team, edging Cara Black and Liezel Huber 7-5 4-6 10-3 at the Sony Ericsson Open.

SAYINGS

“I have only one (racquet). Surprising I didn’t break a string. Warm up and play match, warm up and play match, every match, and I finish with the racquet. I’m going to keep forever this racquet.” - Nikolay Davydenko, who said he used the same racquet in all six matches to win the Sony Ericsson Open.

“People write more about Roger (Federer), about me, about Andy (Roddick). People outside tennis can think different about Nikolay, but we know he’s a very, very good player.” - Rafael Nadal, after losing the Sony Ericsson Open final to Davydenko 6-4 6-2.

“She looked so nervous out there. I could never believe that a girl who has won so many Grand Slams, so many tournaments, could be that nervous closing out a match.” - Jelena Jankovic, after losing the Sony Ericsson Open women’s final to Serena Williams 6-1 5-7 6-3.

“I smashed a racquet? Are you sure it was me? I guess maybe my hand must have been oily.” - Serena Williams, who drew a code violation when she smashed her racquet after blowing a 5-2 40-0 lead in the second set of her three-set victory over Jelena Jankovic.

“This tie is important for the team, as a win would give us the opportunity to compete in a playoff to make it back in the World Group, where I believe Australia belongs.” - Lleyton Hewitt, saying he plans on playing Davis Cup against Thailand.

“Losing in the finals four times just makes you hungrier and hungrier. When we went out there … we didn’t take anything for granted.” - Bob Bryan after he teamed with his brother Mike to win the Sony Ericsson Open men’s doubles.

“Winning in September and staying in the World Group is obviously a key focus for us, but just as vital is working with hose younger players who may be capable of thriving in a Davis Cup environment in the near future.” - Paul Annacone, who has been named coach of Great Britain’s Davis Cup team, succeeding Peter Lundgren.

SPLAT

After he hit a backhand into the net during his third-round match at the Sony Ericsson Open, Mikhail Youzhny showed his displeasure by angrily whacking himself in the head three times with his racket strings. That sent a stream of blood running from above his hairline down his nose and nearly to his mouth. The Russian became a celebrity when a video of his tantrum was put on YouTube and drew more than a half-million hits.

SUFFERING SUCCOTASH

Here it is April and the world’s top two men players are still looking for a 2008 tournament title. Top-ranked Roger Federer’s best results this year have been semifinal appearances at both the Australian Open and the Pacific Life Open. Federer has been limited to just three tournaments because of mononucleosis. World number two Rafael Nadal has been in two finals - the Chennai Open and the Sony Ericsson Open - losing both. He also was a semifinalist at both the Australia Open and the Pacific Life Open. And, the top-ranked men’s doubles team of Bob and Mike Bryan won their first title of 2008 at the just-concluded Sony Ericsson Open.

SUCCESS FINALLY

Playing in their fifth final of 2008, twins Bob and Mike Bryan finally came away with the title when they defeated Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles 6-2 6-2 at the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami. Beginning with the 2007 Australian Open, the Bryans have reached 20 finals in 27 tournaments. And this championship was their 45^th career title together.

SELECTED FOR BEIJING

Players from El Salvador, Togo and Liechtenstein will compete in Olympic tennis for the first time at the Beijing Games. The International Olympic Committee (IOC), National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Tennis Federation (ITF) selected four players to compete in the Summer Games: Rafael Arevalo of El Salvador, Komlavi Loglo of Togo, Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Stephanie Vogt of Liechtenstein. Only 21 years old, Arevalo has already played 22 Davis Cup ties for El Salvador. Loglo, 23, is the first African Junior Champion from Togo. Vogt, 17, has played eight Fed Cup ties for Liechtenstein. Black, currently co-ranked No. 1 in the world in doubles, played singles at the 2000 Sydney Games.

SQUEAKER

By nipping Cara Black and Liezel Huber in a Match Tiebreak (7-5 4-6 10-3) to win the women’s doubles at the Sony Ericsson Open, Katarina Srebotnik and Ai Sugiyama were just repeating themselves. The Miami, Florida, tournament title was their second doubles crown as a team. Their first came last year in Toronto when they also beat Black and Huber in a Match Tiebreak in the final.

STEERING TENNIS EUROPE

Jacques Dupre is the new president of Tennis Europe, succeeding John James of Great Britain. Others elected to the board at the meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark, were Peter Bretherton of Great Britain, Michele Brunetti of Italy, Philios Christodoulou of Cyprus, Gunther Lang of Germany, Aleksei Selivanenko of Russai, Jose Antonio Senz de Broto of Spain, Stefan Tzvetkov of Bulgaria and Ayda Uluc of Turket. There were delegates from a record 43 member nations at the 34^th annual general meeting.

SOUTH AFRICA ON TOP

South Africa successfully defended its African Junior Championships in Gaborone, Botswana. Tunisia finished in second place, followed by Egypt in third and Morocco in fourth. Points are earned in singles and doubles in three age groups. South Africa captured two of the six singles titles and reached three other finals. The winners dominated the 16-and -under age group with Jarryd Botha defeating fellow South African Japie de Klerk 6-2 6-2 in the boys singles final.

SENIORS DOING IT

A record 376 teams have entered the 2008 ITF Seniors & Super-Seniors World Team Championships in Antalya, Turkey, in October. More than 220 teams from 38 countries have registered for the Seniors age categories - women and men 35 to 55 - while 150 teams will compete in the Super-Seniors: women 60 to 70 and men 60 to 80. The team event will be followed by the ITF Seniors & Super-Seniors World Individual Championships.

SORE BUT READY

Despite possibly having tendinitis and a hip tendon tear - or a combination of both - Lleyton Hewitt says he will play for Australia in its Davis Cup tie against Thailand. Doctors had advised Hewitt to rest his sore left hip and continue treatment. He has suffered hip pain since losing to Mardy Fish in Indian Wells, California, in March.

SUPERHERO

India’s Davis Cup captain Leander Paes will be a superhero in a cartoon television series in his home country. According to the Indian Express newspaper, Paes will play a miracle man who helps school kids in each of the 26 half-hour episodes being planned. The cartoons, called “The Magic Racquet,” are aimed at promoting an active lifestyle in children. According to the newspaper, a date has not been set for the start of the series.

SWINGING AGAIN

Two retired Wimbledon champions will play each other on grass once again. Martina Hingis and Jana Novotna will play an exhibition match in Liverpool, England, in June. Hingis beat Novotna in the 1997 Wimbledon final to become the youngest champion in the Open Era. Novotna, who also lost in the final at Wimbledon to Steffi Graf in 1993, finally won the Championships in 1998.

SITES TO SURF

Amelia Island: www.blchamps.com

Davis Cup: www.daviscup.com/

Olympic Tennis: www.itftennis.com/olympics.

Family Circle Cup: www.familycirclecup.com

Estoril: www.estorilopen.net

Valencia: www.open-comunidad-valencia.com/

Houston: www.riveroaksinternational.com

ITF Seniors: www.itftennis.com/seniors

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

WTA Tour

$600,000 Bausch & Lomb Championships, Amelia Island, Florida, clay

DAVIS CUP

World Group Quarterfinals

(April 11-13)

Czech Republic at Moscow, Russia

Sweden at Buenos Aires, Argentina

Spain at Bremen, Germany

France vs. United States at Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Europe/Africa Zone Group 1 Second Round

Italy at Zagreb, Croatia; Netherlands at Skopje, Macedonia; Switzerland at Minsk, Belarus; Georgia at Bratislava, Slovak Republic

America’s Zone Group 1 Second Round

Canada at Santiago, Chile; Colombia at Soracaba, Brazil

Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 Second Round

Thailand at Townsville, Australia; Japan at New Delhi, India

Asia/Oceania Zone Group 1 First-Round Playoffs

Chinese Taipei at Almaty, Kazakhstan; Uzbekistan at Manila, Philippines

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP TOUR

$370,000 Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal, clay

$370,000 Open de Tenis Comunidad Valencia, Valencia, Spain, clay

$436,000 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships, Houston, Texas, clay

WTA TOUR

$1,340,000 Family Circle Cup, Charleston, South Carolina

Photos of Miami:

STARS

Qualifier Kevin Anderson upset defending champion Novak Djokovic in the Serb’s opening match at the Sony Ericsson Open 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 6-4.

Lindsay Davenport continued her comeback by knocking off world number two Ana Ivanovic 6-4 6-2 in the third round of the Sony Ericsson Open.

SUPER ROGER

Roger Federer is at least still winning off the court. While the world’s number one player has yet to capture a tournament in 2008, for the fourth straight year he won both the ATP Tour’s Player of the Year and the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. Additionally, fans voted Federer as their favorite player for the fifth consecutive year.

SAME FOR JUSTINE

For the second time in her career, Justine Henin has been named the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour’s Player of the Year. She also won in 2003. Last year Henin won 10 of the 14 events she entered, became the first WTA Tour player to win over $5 million (USD) in a single year and finished as world number one.

SUCCESSFUL YEAR

Other ATP Tour honors went to brothers Bob and Mike Bryan, Doubles Team of the Year for the third straight year; Novak Djokovic, Most Improved; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Newcomer; Igor Andreev, Comeback Player; and Ivan Ljubicic, Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year.

Other Sony Ericsson WTA Tour winners were: Cara Black and Liezel Huber, Doubles Team; Ana Ivanovic, Most Improved; Lindsay Davenport, Comeback Player; and Agnes Szavay (photo) , Newcomer.

STOP IT

Novak Djokovic’s habit of repeatedly bouncing the ball ad nauseum before each serve, caught the attention of the umpire during his Sony Ericsson Open match against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson. Serving at 2-0, 30-40, Djokovic bounced the ball so many times that he received a time violation from the umpire. Although he won that point, Djokovic ended up losing the match 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 6-4.

STREAKING

Svetlana Kuznetsova won off the final 11 games to overcome a 5-2 second-set deficit and a match point to beat Victoria Azarenka 1-6 7-5 6-0 in a third-round match at the Sony Ericsson Open.

SERB STOPPERS

One week after they won singles titles at the Pacific Life Open, Serbian stars Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic were ousted from the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Florida. South African qualifier Kevin Anderson eliminated Djokovic 7-6 (7-1) 3-6, 6-4 and former world number one Lindsay Davenport crushed Ivanovic 6-4 6-2.

SAYINGS

“I can compete with the best in the world. I proved that to myself, whether he was on form or off form.” – Qualifier Kevin Anderson after knocking defending champion Novak Djokovic out of the Sony Ericsson Open 7-6 (7-1) 3-6 6-4.

“On the last point my shoelace was broken, but I’m not trying to find excuses.” – Novak Djokovic, after losing to Kevin Anderson.

“Obviously the first time you play against someone, you try to get to know them and try to get rhythm in the beginning. But against her you just don’t get it.” – Ana Ivanovic, who fell to Lindsay Davenport 6-4 6-2 in the third round of the Sony Ericsson Open.

“In this comeback, for lack of better words, I’ve not made a fool of myself. I’ve done pretty well for my age and for what I’ve been through. Obviously days like today just give me more incentive to keep going.” – Lindsay Davenport, who has returned to the women’s tour after becoming a mother, following her victory over world number two Ana Ivanovic.

“For that to happen, he must maintain his hunger for victory, for records, and that is not easy.” – Bjorn Borg, when asked if Roger Federer can become the greatest player in history.

SLUGGERS

James Blake and Sam Querrey switched sports when they showed up at an exhibition baseball game in Miami, Florida, between the Florida Marlins and the New York Yankees. Facing batting-practice pitches from Marlins hitting coach Jim Presley, Querrey hit consecutive home runs over the scoreboard in left field. Not to be left out, Blake also cleared the fence.

SHAHAR HONORED

Shahar Peer was honored by Beth David Congregation in Miami, Florida, for making political history when she became the first Israeli athlete to compete in the Arab world, participating in the Qatar Total Open in Doha in February. Also honored were the men’s doubles team of Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, who became the first Israeli duo to win a Grand Slam title, capturing the crown at the Australian Open in January.

SURGERY CONSIDERED

Justine Henin says she considered having surgery on her right knee earlier this year. Instead, the world number one chose a more conservative approach and received a cortisone injection after the Australian Open. She also rested last week, skipping the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells, California.

SISTERS SITTING

When the United States takes on Russia in a Fed Cup semifinal in April, sisters Venus and Serena Williams will not be on the squad. Lindsay Davenport, who will play for the Americans, said she had been turned down by both sisters when she approached them about playing. Russia will field a strong squad consisting of Australian Open champion Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anna Chakvetadze, Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina.
STILL ON BBC

The BBC will continue to televise Wimbledon through 2014. The new five-year contract stretches the British Broadcasting Corp.’s association with the world’s premier grass court tournament to 87 years. Neither the All England Club nor the BBC disclosed the amount paid for the rights.
SITES TO SURF

• Miami: www.sonyericssonopen.com
• Estoril: www.estorilopen.net
• Valencia: www.open-comunidad-valencia.com
• Houston: www.riveroaksinternational.com
• Amelia Island: www.blchamps.com

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

ATP and WTA Tours

$3,770,000 Sony Ericsson Open, Key Biscayene, Florida, hard court

TOURNAMENTS NEXT WEEK

ATP TOUR

$370,000 Estoril Open, Estoril, Portugal, clay
$370,000 Open de Tenis Comunidad Valencia, Valencia, Spain, clay
$436,000 U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championships, Houston, Texas, clay

WTA TOUR

$600,000 Bausch & Lomb Championships, Amelia Island, Florida, clay

STARS

Novak Djokovic stopped giant-killer Mardy Fish to win the Pacific Life Open men’s singles 6-2 5-7 6-3 in Indian Wells, California

Ana Ivanovic won her first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title of the year, the Pacific Life Open, and sixth of her career by defeating Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4 6-3.

STUNNER

Mardy Fish joined a growing list of players who can claim an upset victory over Roger Federer when the American beat the world’s No. 1 player in the semifinals of the Pacific Life Open. It wasn’t even close as Fish crushed his Swiss opponent 6-3 6-2.

SLIPPING

Roger Federer, who has won eight of the last eleven Grand Slam tournaments, has yet to win a title of any kind in 2008. Federer’s hold on the world No. 1 ranking became even more tenuous after he fell to American Mardy Fish in the semifinals of the Pacific Life Open. So far in 2008, Federer has lost three times, to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open semifinals, to Andy Murray in the opening round at Dubai, and to Fish in Indian Wells.

SAYINGS

“There is something in this desert air which keeps me going year after year. I’m doing pretty good here.” – Novak Djokovic after winning the Pacific Life Open men’s crown with a 6-2 5-7 6-3 win over Mardy Fish.

“It’s always painful to lose, but I prefer losing in the final to losing in the second round.” – Svetlana Kuznetsova, after losing to Ana Ivanovic in the women’s title match of the Pacific Life Open.

“He would never miss, really, when I needed a miss once in a while.” – Roger Federer after his 6-3-6-2 semifinal loss to Mardy Fish at the Pacific Life Open.

“This obviously wasn’t Roger’s best day.” – Mardy Fish after upsetting top-ranked Roger Federer.

“The truth is he played better than me today. It’s difficult to say more things.” – Rafael Nadal after losing to Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-2 in the Pacific Life Open semifinals.

“I think we both played good tennis from the first point on, and I was really happy with that.” – Ana Ivanovic after beating Svetlana Kuznetsova to win the Pacific Life Open women’s singles.

SWINGING TOGETHER

Dinara Safina teamed up with fellow Russian Elena Vesnina to win their first women’s doubles title, defeating the third-seeded Chinese team of Yan Zi and Zheng Jie 6-1 1-6 10-8 (Match Tiebreak) at the Pacific Life Open.

Israelis Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram won the Pacific Life Open men’s doubles crown. They beat Daniel Nestor of Canada and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia 6-4, 6-4.

SUPER SWAT

Not only did Svetlana Kuznetsova hand Maria Sharapova her first loss of 2008, she may have had a hand in knocking the Australian Open champion out of her next tournament. After losing to Kuznetsova 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 at Indian Wells, Sharapova pulled out of next week’s Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, citing a shoulder injury.

SLAMMING

WTA head Larry Scott was quick to defend two of the sport’s greatest champions after Richard Williams took a verbal swipe at them. “Champions like Chris Evert and Tracy Austin have done so much to help build women’s tennis to where it is today, and it is regrettable that anyone would criticize them in this manner,” Scott said. His response came after Williams, Venus and Serena’s father, charged that Evert and Austin, both enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, were boosted by the media even though they “cannot hit the ball.”

STUMBLING SVETLANA

Svetlana Kuznetsova has problems on the final day. Ranked fourth in world, the Russian has reached three singles finals this year, and has lost them all. She has now lost eight of the last nine tournament finals she has played.

STRUGGLING MOM

The back injury that caused her to pull out of the Pacific Life Open has been even more troublesome for Lindsay Davenport at home. The problem has prevented the new mother from carrying her baby. “I haven’t been able to lift him out of his crib, out of the stroller or out of the car seat, so I’ve feel like kind of a bad mom in that regard,” Davenport said.

SELES BY SELES

Monica Seles is writing her memoirs. Seles was the No. 1 player in the world when a man climbed out of the stands in Hamburg, Germany, during a match in 1993 and stabbed her in the back. She was off the tour for more than two years before coming back to win the Australian Open in 1996.

STILL SWATTING

John McEnroe will play World Team Tennis for the eighth season this year when he competes in three road matches for the New York Sportimes. McEnroe will visit the Philadelphia Freedoms on July 14, the Washington Kastles on July 15 and the Newport Beach Breakers on July 22. Others scheduled to play World Team Tennis this season include Lindsay Davenport, Serena and Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, Martina Navratilova, Anna Kournikova and the Bryan twins, Bob and Mike.

SITES TO SURF

Miami: http://www.sonyericssonopen.com
Men’s tour: http://www.atptour.com
Women’s tour: http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com
Fox TV: http://msn.foxsports.com/tv/schedule

TOURNAMENTS THIS WEEK

ATP and WTA Tours

$3,770,000 Sony Ericsson Open, Key Biscayne, Florida, hard court