Djokovic stretches unbeaten run in Dubai

(CNN) -- Defending champion Novak Djokovic stretched his unbeaten run to 16 matches as the World No.1 was joined in the semifinals in Dubai by five-time winner Roger Federer Thursday.

Djokovic has been in imperious form at the hard court event and was never troubled by quarterfinal opponent Andreas Seppi of Italy, winning 6-0 6-3 in 64 minutes.

Federer was equally impressive against Russian veteran Nikolay Davdenko, dropping just four games in a straight sets romp.

But they face much tougher tests in the last four clashes Friday, with Djokovic playing in-form fourth seed Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina and Federer taking on third ranked Tomas Berdych, who beat him in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open last year.

It is the first time in the history of the 20-year-old Dubai Open that all top four seeds have reached the semifinals and del Potro and Berdych were largely untroubled in their last eight clashes.

Del Potro outclassed World No.97 Daniel Brands 6-4 6-2 while Berdych overpowered Russian wild card Dmitry Tursunov 6-3 6-2 in just over an hour.

Australian Open champion Djokovic's streak dates back to November last year, but he knows he will have to be on top of his game against del Potro, who won in Rotterdam earlier this month.

"Delpo is a very talented player, very powerful from the baseline and with a big service. We know everything about each other, it's going to be a tough one and I need to be on top of my game," he told the official ATP website.

World No.2 Federer knows formidable Czech Berdych will offer a difficult test as he bids fora place in the final and his 77th career title.

"He's obviously a good player. He's got amazing power, one of the strongest guys out there on tour. We'll see tomorrow how it goes. I haven't seen him play at all here this tournament. I need to just focus on my game," said the Swiss.

In Federer's favor may be the tough schedule of his opponent, who had to fly from Marseille where he lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France in Sunday's final.

Tsonga also made the long trip, but exited in the first round to fellow Frenchman Michael Llodra.

Via: Djokovic stretches unbeaten run in Dubai

Is the NFL killing American tennis?

Editor's note: Open Court is CNN's monthly tennis show. Click here for screening times and follow on Twitter @cnnopencourt

(CNN) -- The future seemed so bright. When 2003 came to a close, Andy Roddick was the youngest American male to end the year as the world's No. 1 tennis player.

Aged 21, he had just won his first grand slam title at the U.S. Open, following in the footsteps of illustrious compatriots such as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors.

But then the drought -- another decade on, the United States is still waiting for its next male grand slam winner.

So what's gone wrong? A nation that dominated tennis from the mid-1970s is struggling to repeat those past glories -- and there is no quick solution in sight.

"I think the best athletes in other countries are playing tennis sooner than they are here," U.S. tennis great John McEnroe told CNN's Open Court.

"We've got to grab some kids that are playing American football or basketball, for example, we've got to make it more accessible, affordable."

Read: Grand slam diet

But that's not as easy as it may sound, especially when parents of talented kids do the maths.

Tennis has strong participation numbers among American school kids, but that drops off once they get to high-school age as the costs of playing skyrocket compared to subsidized sports such as gridiron, basketball and baseball.

"In junior high school, the school pays for travel expenses when they go for games. When the season is over, they pay for the expenses. Tennis you pay your own," says renowned coach Nick Bollettieri, whose academy was the breeding ground for top U.S. men's talents such as Agassi, Sampras and Jim Courier.

'Show me the money'

Potential tennis stars are also being offered higher average pay by rival U.S. sports.

Bollettieri's research has indicated that, to break even on the men's ATP World Tour, you need to be ranked at least 163rd.

He says an NFL player of equivalent status earns $1.4 million a year -- and that's without endorsements.

"When a parent looks at the financial side and sees those two figures, they say, 'Wow, and it doesn't cost us a dime,' " added Bollettieri.

"If those same parents are struggling to make a living and they look in the paper and see $25 million for a four-year contract in baseball, $80 million for LeBron James ... they look at that and the programs that develop these people, it doesn't cost them anything."

Read: How Novak Djokovic rose to the top

It is often argued that poverty helps breed sports stars because athletes are more determined than their wealthier peers, but seven-time grand slam champion McEnroe is unconvinced by that argument.

"Some of the guys come from tough situations who want it more -- then again, if you look at some guy from Mallorca named Nadal who presumably lives in a pretty decent situation, and some guy by the name of Federer came out of Switzerland and his parents were reasonably well off," the 54-year-old said.

Since Roddick's New York breakthrough, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have won 34 of the 37 grand slam titles.

"It's obvious that a lot of the other countries, their players have definitely become better, there's no question about that," says Michael Chang, the youngest player to win the French Open, as a 17-year-old back in 1989.

"The depth of men's tennis in particular has gotten deeper and deeper every year," the American told Open Court.

"When you've got guys like Rafa, Novak and Roger playing at the level they're playing, there's not going to be a whole lot of winners outside of those guys and now you can put Andy Murray inside of that group as well.

Read: Chang's 'underhand' tactics

"It's been very, very difficult for American tennis to be able to follow our generation."

Success breeds success

Bollettieri believes the success of his Florida-based academy was based on offering scholarships to the likes of Agassi, Courier and Monica Seles, which later attracted other young talent from around the world including current stars such as Maria Sharapova and the Williams sisters.

"When you get good people like that at the same place, when you get 15, 20, 30 players who are the best in America and some of the best in the world, they compete," the 81-year-old said.

"They're in a competition, not costing them a dime -- it helped get me where I am. You've got to have it very attractive for a young boy or girl of 11, 12, 13 years old to play tennis opposed to other sports if it looks like they're a hell of an athlete."

Roddick retired during last year's U.S. Open, on his 30th birthday, and now John Isner is America's No. 1 player.

A towering 6 foot 9 inches, he could have been a basketball player but stuck with tennis and kept playing through four years at the University of Georgia before turning professional. It's an unusual path, as most top players join the pro ranks in their teens.

Read: Hungry Federer eyes grand slam titles in 2013

Ranked 15th in the world after reaching a career-high ninth last March, he has never gone past the quarterfinals of a grand slam. Arguably his major claim to fame is playing in the longest match of all time at Wimbledon in 2010, though he has beaten Federer and Djokovic.

"I would love to go further than that (quarterfinals) and I know my fellow American players would love to as well," Isner told Open Court at this month's San Jose Open, which is folding after 125 years of existence at various Californian venues.

Opportunities for young American players are reducing, with the second-oldest tennis tournament in the U.S. relocating to Brazil, while the license for the Los Angeles Open -- which began in 1927 -- was sold to a Colombian group last year.

"Ten years, it is a long time, but I don't think American tennis is as bad as people portray it to be," Isner said.

"In the '70s, '80s, '90s, I think American tennis fans were a bit spoiled with all these great players. The game today is very, very tough. It's very international.

"You see players in Europe that are just so strong and so physical and these guys are really dominating the game, especially the players that come from Spain."

Size matters

Bollettieri believes Isner will struggle to win a grand slam, not because a lack of ability but because of his size -- though Juan Martin del Potro, three inches shorter, won the 2009 U.S. Open.

"John has a lot of the tools, but the bigger you are you have to have footwork as well. The downfall of John today is footwork, mobility," Bollettieri said.

He is wary of predicting a future male U.S. champion, but is encouraged by some of the young talent emerging.

Bollettieri points to Christian Harrison, the 18-year-old younger brother of world No. 76 Ryan -- who at just 20 has already represented his country in Davis Cup and passed $1 million in on-court earnings.

"Today the game depends on strength, mobility and then talent. You've got to have strength and speed, you've to have at least two weapons, you'll never make it with just one," said Bollettieri, who also has high hopes for a 14-year-old he calls a "big boy," though he kept his name secret.

Read: McEnroe -- 'Attila the Hun' of tennis

If size is becoming increasingly important -- players are much taller and stronger -- that means tennis has to fight to keep its prospects from joining more physical sports to which they would also be suited.

"It'd have been tough to have steered Kobe Bryant or LeBron James into tennis because they were such good athletes ... and the scholarships -- Bryant went from high school directly to the pros," Bollettieri said.

"It's not that a smaller person can't make it, but it's more difficult today."

Even though he is only 20, Ryan Harrison is coming to a make-or-break time in his fledgling career, according to U.S. sports journalist Douglas Robson.

"He really needs to make a move and I think he realizes that," Robson told Open Court.

"He's had some tough draws at majors but he hasn't been past the second round of a grand slam yet, he hasn't won an ATP Tour title, and a lot of players his age would've already passed those thresholds."

High cost of developing champions

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has been criticized in recent years for failing to produce successors to the last golden generation of male players, but Bollettieri supports the efforts of McEnroe's younger brother Patrick, who took over as head of development in 2008.

"They certainly are doing a lot, but it's tough to convince people when their son looks like he's going to be a helluva football player or basketball player," Bollettieri said.

He said the USTA could highlight the top 20-30 young players in the country, but it would then cost $3-7 million a year to develop them.

Read: Andy Murray's five-star hotel venture

To attend one of Bollettier's academy programs, players will pay between $50,000-69,000 depending on age and whether they board.

"Pat is working his ass off getting more people playing the game, but what happens is when they get to be 13, 14 and have a lot of potential -- that's where the cost factor comes in and they have to come up with millions of dollars," Bollettieri said.

"We've got more people playing now, more youngsters, but in order to get the champions ... the people are blinded by what they see every day."

Courier, who won four grand slam titles in the early 1990s and topped the world rankings at the age of 22, is also loathe to blame anyone for the lack of American men's success.

"America has no ownership of the top ranking. It's a free-for-all," the U.S. Davis Cup captain told Open Court.

"Tennis is a very individual sport and I think it'd be very naive for a country to take the credit for individual players. Does America take credit for Tiger Woods? I'd say Earl Woods deserves the credit -- he's the one who really drove that.

"So in the tennis landscape, you look at the Williams sisters. Their father was a big driver, my family was a big driver, so I don't think we can put any blame on anyone."

Via: Is the NFL killing American tennis?

Hungry Federer targets grand slams

(CNN) -- Be warned Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray -- from here on in it's all be about grand slam titles for Roger Federer.

The 31-year-old Federer has done it all in the world of tennis, winning more grand slam titles than any other male player in history and spending a record number of weeks at the top of the world rankings.

But as he approaches the twilight of his glittering career, the 17-time major winner is prioritizing adding to that record haul over returning to the No. 1 spot.

After clinching a record-equalling seventh Wimbledon singles title last year, the Swiss maestro occupied the top berth for a 287th week, breaking the previous record held by U.S. icon Pete Sampras.

Read: Murray's five-star hotel venture

While admitting reaching No. 1 for the first time in 2004 was a special achievement, when asked by CNN's Leone Lakhani whether he would rather win grand titles or returning to the top, the current No. 2 replied: "At this stage in my career grand slam titles.

"Last year, to get back to world No. 1 was incredible, but I think it is really the first time you get there. You cannot match that up with any other moment, maybe in your career, because it's such a big thing.

"At this point in my career its titles. I've won a lot and I feel if I keep playing the way I am I can still achieve a bit more. So I guess its titles now."

Records

Since turning professional 15 years ago, Federer has notched up a steady stream of records, but surpassing landmarks has never been something he has paid much attention to.

"I never had a 'to do' list," continued the 31-year-old Swiss player. "It's really the media who talk about it.

"When I was close to the all-time grand slam record or the all-time weeks at world No. 1, I was one week away, one slam away, of course you're going to push to try and beat that, but I never adjusted my schedule accordingly.

"I knew if I played well, records would fall along the way."

Motivation

Despite his unparalleled success, in recent years Federer has seen his position as the reigning power in tennis taken by the all-conquering Djokovic.

The Serb has won five of his six grand slam titles in the last two years, while world No. 3 Andy Murray has also risen to the top by winning his first major title as well as reaching the last three showpiece finals.

Read: McEnroe -- 'Attila the Hun' of tennis

It was Britain's Murray who eliminated Federer at the semifinal stage of last month's Australian Open, an event Djokovic won.

"I still have the hunger and the urge to achieve more, because I truly love this sport," added Federer. "That's the easiest part for me, the motivational part.

"I get a lot of questions asking how I do it, but for me it's pretty simple. I wake up in the morning excited to be a tennis player."

Balance

Despite his sporting ambition, Federer is very conscious of the importance of spending time with his wife and twin daughters.

"I'm working hard I'm training hard, but at the same time I'm making sure I have enough rest and family time," said the Swiss star.

"At my stage of my career, I need to make sure I get the balance right."

Via: Hungry Federer targets grand slams

Berdych blasts time wasting rule

(CNN) -- Tomas Berdych has launched a scathing attack on the time limit rule in tennis following his victory against Germany's Tobias Kamke at the Dubai Open Wednesday.

The World No.6 is a fierce critic of the new 25-second time rule, which has reduced the permitted pause in between rallies by five seconds.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), which runs the men's tour, introduced the change at the start of the year in a bid to give umpires greater powers.

Czech Berdych, who lost out in the final of the Marseille Open last Sunday, has been warned against time wasting on several occasions in recent weeks.

Federer eyes grand slam titles in 2013

The new rule is supposed to make the game more entertaining for spectators and speed up a sport where the average contest has only 20 minutes of action in an hour.

But Berdych, who was clearly suffering with fatigue following his exertions 4,800 kilometers away in France, says the rule needs modifying.

"I don't like it. I'm not a fan of it. I don't see any single reason why to have this rule," he told reporters.

"What could be positive on this? What could work? What could be advantage?

"I get like a six or seven (warnings) in Chennai and then I did not get one in Marseille and now I just get only warning. So I'm improving.

Tsonga and Ferrer battle to title wins

"It should be clearer what's going on, because the referee has so much power on you.

"He can do whatever he wants. If you have like 25 (seconds) and he has a bad day, or he doesn't like you, it's 24 and you go.

"I mean, it's so simple. Let's put the clock there and then everybody goes by the clock. Simple as that if they want to go straight."

Berdych clearly struggled to adapt to the heat and wind in the Gulf, saving 12 break points and dropping serve twice before prevailing 7-5 6-1 to make the last eight.

Elsewhere, Russia's Nikolay Davydenko reached the quarterfinals with a 6-4 7-6 win over Victor Hanescu of Romania.

But third seed Mikhail Youhzny suffered a shock 6-4 6-4 defeat in his clash with qualifier Daniel Brands.

The qualifier, who reached the semifinals of the Qatar Open, will now take on Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro.

World No.1 Novak Djokovic will play Italy's Andreas Seppi following a straight sets win over Roberto Bautista.

How women cracked tennis' glass ceiling

Meanwhile, top seed and former World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki was dumped out of the Malaysia Open Wednesday following a shock defeat by qualifier Wang Qiang.

Wozniacki, who had been suffering with a high temperature Tuesday, looked in clear discomfort during the 2-6 7-6 6-1 defeat.

"I tried my best but I just didn't have energy. I didn't take my opportunities," the world number 10 told reporters.

"I called for the doctor and the physio to massage my legs. Not much more they could do. I hope to come back again next year."

Wang, who is ranked 189th in the world, revealed she was keen to take advantage of Wozniacki's problems.

"I tried to make her run more to take advantage of her illness and it paid off. This is the best win of my career and it will give me more confidence," the 21-year-old told reporters.

Via: Berdych blasts time wasting rule

Tennis business: Murray's five-star hotel

(CNN) -- Maria Sharapova has candy, the Williams sisters have fashion interests and Bjorn Borg has underwear.

Now, world No. 3 Andy Murray has joined the ranks of tennis superstars looking beyond the court to expand their multi-million dollar fortunes.

The 2012 U.S. Open champion may have racked up over $26 million in prize money during a glittering tennis career, but the Scot is hoping to swell his coffers further after acquiring the Cromlix House Hotel near his hometown of Dunblane in Scotland.

Murray, a winner of 25 career ATP World Tour titles, plans to turn the Victorian-era mansion into a 15-room five-star hotel set to open in 2014.

Read: Venus Williams' fashion highs and lows

That opening date will allow the hotel to potentially welcome golf fans attending the Ryder Cup at the nearby Gleneagles course next year.

The project will also provide a boost to the local economy, creating 40 new jobs and providing revenue for other businesses in the area.

"I am pleased to have acquired Cromlix House and look forward to securing its future as a successful business," the 25-year-old Murray said in a statement.

"By re-establishing Cromlix as a leading luxury hotel at the heart of the Dunblane community we will be able to attract new visitors to the area, create a number of new jobs and focus on supporting other local businesses.

"I'm pleased to be able to give something back to the community I grew up in."

Cromlix House is set in 50 acres of woodland and has its very own trout loch.

The hotel has special meaning to the Murray family, with Andy's older brother Jamie, also a professional tennis player, marrying his Colombian wife Alejandra Gutierrez there in 2010.

The day-to-day running of the hotel will be handled by Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI), who look after eight other properties in Scotland.

"We are delighted to be working with Andy in this very exciting project to redevelop and run Cromlix House," said ICMI's managing director Norbert Lieder.

"Our team of experts has experience in every aspect of the hospitality industry and specialise in working with independent properties and transforming them into luxurious destinations.

"I am confident that, with Andy, we can create a very special hotel in his home community.

"While we aim to create a destination that attracts visitors from around the world we are also determined to ensure it remains a venue of choice for local people."

Via: Tennis business: Murray's five-star hotel

Djokovic defeats Troicki in all-Serbian clash

(CNN) -- World No. 1 Novak Djokovic began his quest for a fourth title at the Dubai Tennis Championships with a straight forward victory over fellow Serbian Victor Troicki.

The 25-year-old won three consecutive titles in Dubai between 2009 and 2011 before 17-time grand slam champion Roger Federer triumphed last year.

Djokovic, who won the first major of the year at the Australian Open in January, is playing in his first ATP Tour event as he looks to maintain his unbeaten start to the season.

His victory in Melbourne raised the prospect that Djokovic, who has won five of the last nine grand slam titles, could complete a clean sweep of the majors for the first time since Rod Laver in 1969.

Read: Tennis business - Andy Murray's five-star hotel venture

Asked whether he could go on another run like the one at the start of the 2011 season that saw him unbeaten for 43 matches he said in an on-court interview: "Yes I am definitely am (on a streak).

"But I am not thinking about it or trying to better the one I had in 2011, because it's really hard to ask from myself something which may be impossible.

"But knowing that I have done it gives me that mental edge and confidence I need in to approach every tournament with self-belief."

Djokovic enjoys an impressive record over Troicki, losing just once in their last 13 encounters, and broke his opponent's first service game to set the tone for the match.

Though the world No. 44 put up a better fight in the second set, Djokovic rarely looked in any danger as he wrapped up the match in just over an hour.

"Because I have not played for a while I was extremely focused and committed to starting well," Djokovic added.

"I played really, really well in the first set. I read his serve well, and I was aggressive in the court. So altogether I am satisfied with my performance and I hope I can continue."

Elsewhere, the No. 4 seed Juan Martin del Potro was forced to save three match points during a hard fought 4-6 6-4 7-6 victory over Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

The Argentinean, who won the 14th ATP title of his career in Rotterdam recently, came close to losing the contest at 4-5 in the deciding set but battled back to take it on a tiebreak.

He's a great player," del Potro told the ATP Tour's official website. "He fights like me every point, and we had fantastic rallies. I'm so glad to beat him tonight in Dubai.

"I played fantastic forehands to keep playing this match. Then in the end, of course, you need a little bit of luck to win these kinds of matches, and I think I played solid on important points in the third."

Tomas Berdych, the No. 3 seed, had no such problems as he accounted for American wild card Rajeev Ram 6-1 6-3 in less than an hour.

The 27-year-old was runner up to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at last week's Marseille Open, despite having a match point. He made the Dubai semis in 2011, losing to Djokovic.

Nikolay Davydenko edged past the No. 6 seed, Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia. The Russian, who is retiring at the end of this year, triumphed 6-0 7-5.

There were also victories on Thursday for Marcel Granollers, of Spain, Romania's Victor Hanescu, Tobias Kamke, from Germany and Russia's Dmitry Tursunov.

Via: Djokovic defeats Troicki in all-Serbian clash

Tennis business: Andy Murray's five-star hotel venture

(CNN) -- Maria Sharapova has candy, the Williams sisters have fashion interests and Bjorn Borg has underwear.

Now, world No. 3 Andy Murray has joined the ranks of tennis superstars looking beyond the court to expand their multi-million dollar fortunes.

The 2012 U.S. Open champion may have racked up over $26 million in prize money during a glittering tennis career, but the Scot is hoping to swell his coffers further after acquiring the Cromlix House Hotel near his hometown of Dunblane in Scotland.

Murray, a winner of 25 career ATP World Tour titles, plans to turn the Victorian-era mansion into a 15-room five-star hotel set to open in 2014.

Read: Venus Williams' fashion highs and lows

That opening date will allow the hotel to potentially welcome golf fans attending the Ryder Cup at the nearby Gleneagles course next year.

The project will also provide a boost to the local economy, creating 40 new jobs and providing revenue for other businesses in the area.

"I am pleased to have acquired Cromlix House and look forward to securing its future as a successful business," the 25-year-old Murray said in a statement.

"By re-establishing Cromlix as a leading luxury hotel at the heart of the Dunblane community we will be able to attract new visitors to the area, create a number of new jobs and focus on supporting other local businesses.

"I'm pleased to be able to give something back to the community I grew up in."

Cromlix House is set in 50 acres of woodland and has its very own trout loch.

The hotel has special meaning to the Murray family, with Andy's older brother Jamie, also a professional tennis player, marrying his Colombian wife Alejandra Gutierrez there in 2010.

The day-to-day running of the hotel will be handled by Inverlochy Castle Management International (ICMI), who look after eight other properties in Scotland.

"We are delighted to be working with Andy in this very exciting project to redevelop and run Cromlix House," said ICMI's managing director Norbert Lieder.

"Our team of experts has experience in every aspect of the hospitality industry and specialise in working with independent properties and transforming them into luxurious destinations.

"I am confident that, with Andy, we can create a very special hotel in his home community.

"While we aim to create a destination that attracts visitors from around the world we are also determined to ensure it remains a venue of choice for local people."

Via: Tennis business: Andy Murray's five-star hotel venture

Federer survives scare to advance in Dubai

(CNN) -- As he admitted himself this week, Roger Federer has no idea how long his career may last but tennis fans in Dubai were guaranteed another chance to see him after the Swiss survived a first round scare against Tunisia's Malek Jaziri.

The reigning champion -- bidding for his sixth title at the Dubai Tennis Championships -- had to come from behind to win 5-7 6-0 6-2 against the World No. 128, who was playing his first ATP World Tour match since October.

"It was a difficult match for me out here tonight, but I'm happy I found a way and got a day off now so I can work a little bit on the game," said Federer, who beat Andy Murray in last year's final.

"Just maybe the pressure is off a little bit, and then automatically I will play a lot better in the second round."

In the run-up to Monday's game, Federer -- who will play either Marcel Granollers or Albert Montanes (both of Spain) in the next round -- revealed he will undertake a far lighter schedule this year.

The 31-year-old will take nearly two months off after the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, which runs from March 4-17, before returning in May to play the Madrid Open.

The Swiss says the break will allow him to take a holiday with his wife and twin three-year-old daughters before spending 4-6 weeks practising on clay courts in Switzerland.

"The last few years have been really tricky in terms of my practice schedule, especially through an Olympic year [in 2012]," said the 17-time grand slam winner. "This year is totally different. Family is very important, so I also want to spend quality time with them."

"I can't play a year like I did last year every single season because that isn't the point I'm at in my career. I'm not 22 where I have to play 25-30 tournaments a year. Plus, I believe I'll be really ready for the tournaments I've entered."

Federer is planning to play just 14 tournaments in 2013, even dropping his home town event in Basel and the Miami tournament, which has often been described as the biggest outside the four grand slams.

Read: Kvitova ends drought with Dubai title

Federer, who won Wimbledon but lost the Olympic final last year, may be vying for the top honours with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray but his chances of success are threatened by being nearly five years more senior than the next oldest.

"I'm trying to be smart with my scheduling because I'm in a totally different situation than they are," he said.

"Your prime is 23 to 27-28 so for me it's very challenging -- and exciting. I need to make the right decisions. I have family and not many guys have that."

Considered by many as the greatest of all time, Federer stressed that his lighter workload is intended to prolong his playing career and insists it is not a sign of him winding down.

"I strongly believe I have more slams in me," he rallied. "I can play great, but will I be allowed to? Time will tell.

"My big focus is on making sure that every tournament I enter I am perfectly prepared. I am hopeful I will get enough matches but if not my schedule can be changed."

"I want to give myself the best chance to play as long as I can. Maybe then it will become clear that it is time to stop. Things change very quickly, and you have to be ready and open about it.

"But I would like to give myself the chance to play for many years to come. I am happy with the way my body is. I am healthy and happy to be playing.

"If I feel confident and am enjoying it, I hope to play for a long time. I think I am playing excellent tennis. Some win grand slams at 16 and others at 34. It depends how you see things."

In Monday's other opening games of the US$2.4m championships, seventh seed Andreas Seppi of Italy turned around a 0-4 losing run against Paul-Henri Mathieu to beat the Frenchman 6-3 7-5.

Seppi will next play Czech Lukas Rosol, who beat Italian qualifier Matteo Viola 6-3 7-5, while Russia's Mikhail Youzhny beat Blaz Kavcic 1-6 6-1 6-3.

Next up for Youzhny will be Daniel Brands, who beat fellow qualifier Florent Serra 7-6 (7) 6-4, while Roberto Bautista of Spain made it through when beating Belgium's David Goffin in straight sets.

On Tuesday, the 32-man field will be further whittled down -- with Novak Djokovic among those entering the action, with the World No. 1 taking on fellow Serb, and childhood friend, Viktor Troicki.

Via: Federer survives scare to advance in Dubai

Azarenka ends time at top on a high

(CNN) -- Victoria Azarenka might be giving up her spot as World No.1 but the Belarusian showed successor Serena Williams that she's ready to fight to get it back.

Azarenka avenged the loss of top spot to Williams by defeating the U.S. star 7-6 2-6 6-3 in the final of the Qatar Open in Doha Sunday.

Williams, 31, will become the oldest woman to ever hold the No.1 ranking in the history of the game when she takes over Monday.

But she failed to follow up her impressive semifinal win over Maria Sharapova following an error strewn performance.

Instead, Azarenka, who successfully defended her Australian Open title last month, ended a nine-match losing streak against Williams to record just her second win in 13 attempts over her opponent.

Williams eyes Azarenka final

Leading 5-2 in the first set, the outgoing World No.1 allowed Williams back into the game with the American racing into a 6-5 lead.

Williams had set point but failed to take advantage and Azarenka ensured her opponent paid the penalty by taking the opener on a tie-break.

Williams hit back in the second, taking it 6-2, but she was unable to sustain her form and faltered in the third and decisive set.

"I can't say that I'm depressed like I am whenever I lose.," Williams told reporters. "I'm definitely not happy, but I'm number one."

"It was such a long journey, and after winning Wimbledon and the US Open and the (season-ending) Championships, I thought, I just don't think I can win anymore. I don't know what it takes to be number one.

"It was a good match overall. Victoria played really well, and did a great job."

Serena back on top of the world

Azarenka believes that her recovery from losing a one-sided second set was key to her success.

She told reporters: "I just wanted to fight and give it my best, and give myself every opportunity.

"I started at love-30 down and it was 'you have to keep it together and pull it around'. Serena was on a roll.

"I knew she would bring her A game, and I was really glad I could stay tough and focused."

Azarenka, who went 26-0 before losing at the quarterfinals in Miami last year, is now 14-0 in 2013.

Via: Azarenka ends time at top on a high

Tsonga and Ferrer battle to title wins

(CNN) -- Home favorite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga survived a match point before beating top seed Tomas Berdych to win the Marseille Open title for the second time Sunday.

Third seed Tsonga faced the match point at 5-6 down in the second set tiebreak, but served back to back aces on his way to leveling the match.

He broke Berdych for the first time at the start of the deciding set and eventually prevailed 3-6 7-6 6-4 after two hours and 10 minutes.

2009 champion Tsonga had come perilously close to exiting at the quarterfinal stage as he saved no less than five match points against Australian Bernard Tomic before going through.

It was his 10th ATP career title, seven of them indoors.

"This is a great victory," he told the official ATP Tour website.

"I stayed in the match even when it was very difficult and waited for my chance. I survived and took my chance when it came. I'm very happy. The draw was very strong here."

Read: Kvitova ends title drought in Dubai

Czech Berdych was appearing in his first final of the 2013 season, but was left to rue missed opportunities.

"I had a few chances, but Jo was able to serve well in the moment," he said "That's the sport. Here, I lost three tie-breaks. This one was very important. But it happens."

Meanwhile, top seed David Ferrer was able to successfully defend his Buenos Aires Open crown in Argentina.

The Spanish clay court specialist won 6-4 3-6 6-1 against third seed Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland.

It is World No.4 Ferrer's second title of the year after he retained his Auckland Open crown in January and he is 15-2 for the season, beaten in the semifinals of the Australian Open by eventual winner Novak Djokovic.

Via: Tsonga and Ferrer battle to title wins

Kvitova ends drought with Dubai title

(CNN) -- When Petra Kvitova won her first grand slam title and the season-ending championships in 2011, big things were expected of the Czech tennis player.

It's been a bumpy ride since, as the Czech struggled to live up to expectations last year, but Saturday's victory in the Dubai Tennis Championships final is evidence that the 22-year-old is getting back on track.

Kvitova overcame a mid-match scare to beat last year's French Open finalist Sara Errani 6-2 1-6 6-1 to become the first player from her country to win the $2 million tournament.

"I'm glad how I'm playing right now -- that's the important thing for me," said Kvitova, who had not won two matches in a row at a WTA event since August before last week's Doha tournament.

"I'm not thinking this is a turning point for me. Yes, it was a lot of great players here and it was hard to beat them, but I'm still just thinking about my game. That's the priority."

It was the former Wimbledon champion's first title in six months, and her biggest since the WTA Championships in Istanbul, as the world No. 8 took home the $442,000 first prize.

It capped a big week for Kvitova, who beat former world No. 1 and 2011 Dubai champion Caroline Wozniacki in the semifinals after ending the title defense of fourth-ranked Agnieszka Radwanska following a straight-sets win over Ana Ivanovic.

She has bounced back from a shock second-round loss to British teenager Laura Robson at January's Australian Open and a surprise defeat by French wild-card entry Kristina Mladenovic at the Paris Open, winning both matches as the Czechs thrashed Australia in the first match of their Fed Cup title defense.

Fifth seed Errani, ranked one place higher than Kvitova, was blown away in the first set but bounced back to take the second as she adopted a more aggressive game and won six games in a row.

However, the Italian was unable to maintain that momentum and win her first title this year, and seventh of her career.

"I knew I had to keep fighting for every ball, because she was really on fire in the second set and continued that in the third too," said Kvitova, whose coach missed the tournament to go on holiday.

"I was just thinking to not give up and just fight for every point. When it was 2-1 and she missed a volley, I think that was a turning point for me.

"I was quite down after the second set. I just tried to stay positive and just play."

Both players had reached the quarterfinals of the previous tournament in Qatar, where Kvitova lost to new world No. 1 Serena Williams and Errani was beaten by her predecessor Victoria Azarenka.

"This court is very fast, so it's not my favorite court and it's tough for me to play on this court, so making the final is a very good tournament for me," Errani said.

Doha champion Azarenka and runner-up Williams both pulled out of Dubai due to injuries -- the Belorussian before the tournament, and the American just ahead of her opening match.

On the men's ATP World Tour, sixth-ranked Tomas Berdych will play No. 8 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Sunday's final of the Marseille Open.

Kvitova's compatriot Berdych beat Russian qualifier Dmitry Tursunov 6-2 6-1, while Tsonga was similarly dominant as he defeated fellow Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-2 6-2.

World No. 4 David Ferrer has reached the final of the Copa Claro in Argentina, where he is defending his title.

The Australian Open semifinalist beat compatriot Tommy Robredo 6-3 6-2 on Saturday, while Stanislas Wawrinka beat yet another Spaniard in Nicolas Almagro, winning 6-3 7-5.

The Swiss third seed reached his first final since January 2011, and has a 3-6 record in title matches.

Via: Kvitova ends drought with Dubai title

Kvitova to face Errani in Dubai final

(CNN) -- Petra Kvitova produced another scintillating showing to book her place in the final of the Dubai Open Friday.

The World No.8 defeated Caroline Wozniacki 6-3 6-4 to set up a clash for the title against Italy's Sara Errani.

The Czech star has beaten three top 12 opponents in succession and will now compete in her first final in sixth months.

Azarenka out of Dubai Open

"I'm really glad how I played today - it was a great match," Kvitova told the WTA official website.

"We are different players. She tries to put the balls back, and I'm the person who is playing aggressively and going for the winners.

"So what happens in the match really depends on if I'm missing a lot or no, and I played well today.

"The atmosphere here is really nice. I enjoyed every moment today and I'm happy I'm in the final."

Williams follows Azarenka in quitting Dubai

Wozniacki, who won the tournament two years ago, showed glimpses of quality, but failed to deal with the forceful nature of Kvitova's attack.

"She just went for every shot and hit it deep, and I came under pressure straightaway," Wozniacki added.

"I thought I served well, though. In the second set I think I had my chances, and I probably should have taken them but I didn't.

"You never know what could have happened in the third set but there was still a long way to go. At the end of the day, she played a very good match out there.

"Petra's a player that when she's on fire, she's on fire and she wins a lot of matches."

Vinci and Errani to meet in Dubai

Meanwhile, World No.7 Errani defeated her doubles partner Robert Vinci 6-3 6-3 following an hour and 23 minute battle.

"It's tough to play against one person who knows what you're going to do with every shot," she told the WTA website.

Errani will go into the final as favorite having won each of her three previous meetings against Kvitova without dropping a set.

But Kvitova believes she has every chance of springing a surprise Saturday.

"We've played a few times, but she's a Top 10 player," she added.

"She has a good forehand with big spin and is quite fast on the backhand.

"She moves very well, too. She has had great results in the past and played quite well today, and she beat Petrova yesterday too. She's a very tough opponent.

"I think it will be a really tough match tomorrow."

At the U.S Indoor Tennis Championships, Germany's Sabine Lisicki will face Marina Erakovic of New Zealand in Saturday's final.

Lisicki, who is aiming to win a fourth WTA tour title, defeated Magdalena Rybarikova in the semifinals 7-5 7-5, while Erakovic defeated Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele 6-2 6-4.

Via: Kvitova to face Errani in Dubai final

Azarenka out of Dubai Tennis Championships

(CNN) -- Victoria Azarenka has been forced to withdraw from the Dubai Open for the second successive year after suffering an injured heel.

Azarenka, who surrendered the World No.1 spot Monday to Serena Williams, was hoping to build on her title win at the Qatar Open where she defeated the U.S. star.

The Belorussian would have regained the No.1 ranking had she won the tournament, but Williams is set to remain at the summit until the Indian Wells tournament next month.

Read: Azarenka ends time at the top on a high

"I'm very disappointed, but I have to listen to my body," Azarenka told reporters.

"The injury happened last week when I played a lot of tennis, so going on to a new tournament is just too much. The heel kept getting worse, and I needed to re-evaluate.

"Sometimes the schedule is just too difficult. Unfortunately you can't know when you plan it in November what will happen in February.

"I didn't want to continue taking painkillers because sometimes it's better to feel the pain. so that you can control the injury. Otherwise it can cause something which is much worse.

"This is just a warning that I have to take care of myself."

Azarenka, who has a 14-0 record this year, revealed that the physical demands of the schedule has become a growing concern since she won the Australian Open last month.

"I never realised before just how much it takes out of you," she said. "Physically and mentally it just drains you out - and then you realise."

Read: Serena back on top of the world

Meanwhile, Williams, who is the oldest woman to ever hold top spot in the rankings, is the big favorite for the $2 million tournament.

And the 31-year-old says she's feeling in rude health going into the competition.

She told reporters: "I was really, really, really, really sick last week and physically I just wasn't at my best, considering I couldn't train, and I didn't practice.

"I practised only one or two days before playing because I had the ankle problems.

"But I didn't want to not show up and not play. So at least if I could show up and play my way into shape I would be able to compete and that's what I did.

"I feel so much better this week already. I feel like a completely different athlete, and a completely different person, compared with last week."

Via: Azarenka out of Dubai Tennis Championships

'Sisters' Vinci and Errani to meet in Dubai

(CNN) -- Unseeded Italian Roberta Vinci prolonged the best week of her career to date by dumping No. 7 seed Samantha Stosur out of the Dubai Tennis Championships to take her place in the last four.

But her second scalp of the week has set up an uncomfortable semifinal, against best friend Sara Errani, who also happens to be the doubles partner she's claimed three grand slam titles alongside.

Having disposed of Angelique Kerber in the third round on Wednesday, Vinci was in solid form again as she took just an hour and 18 minutes to beat her Australian opponent 6-2 6-4.

Errani, the No.5 seed Sara, disposed of Russia's Nadia Petrova 6-4 0-6 6-3 to set up a clash that will bring forward mixed emotions for both players.

"It will be different mentally because I know her, she's like a sister for me and we play doubles together all the time," Errani told the Tour's official website.

"Normally she's with me on my side of the net and not on the other one, so to see her on the other side is tough because one of us will lose.

"She's an amazing person outside the court. Outside the court she will always try to help you when she can. She's like a sister to me. We stay together maybe 300 days a year. Of course we have had a lot of good moments together.

"I will have to think about it as just another tennis match, and not that it's against her. I just have to go on the court and do my best. The good thing is one of us will be in the finals here."

Elsewhere, Agnieszka Radwanska, the No. 3 seed from Poland, was knocked out by Petra Kvitova who grabbed her first win over a top five player since the 2011 season.

Czech Kvitova hit 37 winners compared to Radwanska's six and will now face Caroline Wozniacki in the semis.

The Dane edged a grueling match with Marion Bartoli, of France, to win 4-6 6-1 6-4.

"It was disappointing to lose that first set after I had been up; I'm happy I turned it around," Wozniacki said.

"In the third set I was down 2-0 and it could have been 3-0, and all of a sudden it wasn't looking good, but I kept fighting and every game was close, and I'm happy I ended up winning it."

At the Open 13 tournament in Marseille, Juan Martin Del Potro, the No. 2 seed from Argentina, moved into the last eight after beating France's Michael Llodra 3-6 7-6 7-5.

Del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion will face another home favorite in the next round, Gilles Simon, after he beat Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3 6-1.

Russia's Dmitry Tursunov is also into the last eight after toppling fourth seed Janko Tipsarevic, of the Czech Republic, 7-6 6-2.

Via: 'Sisters' Vinci and Errani to meet in Dubai

Del Potro rampant in Rotterdam final

(CNN) -- Juan Martin del Potro banished the pain of last year's final defeat by Roger Federer after winning the Rotterdam Open title Sunday.

The Argentine defeated France's Julien Benneteau 7-6 6-3 to claim his fourth indoor tournament victory, despite having to play the final game with cotton wool stuffed up his nostril following a nosebleed.

And the 2009 U.S. Open champion, who was seeded second, was thrilled with the 14th ATP title triumph of his career, following last year's failure in the final.

Federer breezes into Rotterdam quarters

"It feels amazing, it was a big goal for me to win this title after losing the final last year," he told reporters.

"I'm so happy to be the champion. I'm feeling very confident with my serve, hopefully for the rest of the season. Today I did lose serve for the first time this week, but finals are tough to play.

"I played perhaps my worst tennis of the week at the start of the match, I came out very nervous, but I fought back. Later on I started feeling very confident and in control all the time.

"I will try to keep on winning; I'm looking forward to my next event. It's a big challenge for me this season to try and move closer to the number one position."

Williams eyes Azarenka final

Del Potro, who is currently ranked seventh in the world, is the second Argentine to win in Rotterdam after Guillermo Vilas, who triumphed in 1982 and finished runner-up the following year.

Benneteau had hoped to become the fifth Frenchman to win the title after recording a shock victory over Roger Federer in the semifinal.

But the 31-year-old, who has lost all eight ATP title finals, was unable to break his duck on this occasion.

"I can only congratulate Juan Martin," he told reporters.

"I did my best, but he was just too good for me today. He was too strong. I will still fight to finally try and win a trophy."

Via: Del Potro rampant in Rotterdam final

John McEnroe: 'Attila the Hun' of tennis

Editor's note: Open Court is CNN's monthly tennis show. Click here for screening times and follow on Twitter @cnnopencourt

(CNN) -- He's "Mac the Mouth" both on and off the court -- one of the most controversial and iconic players in tennis history, and he's still talking up a storm about the game he loves.

John McEnroe's gift of the gab has helped him make the transition from one of sport's fiercest competitors to sought-after television analyst and commentator.

But the competitive fires are still burning -- the 54-year-old remains a popular figure on the legends circuit -- and the winner of 17 grand slam singles and doubles titles did not hold back in a trademark "million words a minute" interview with CNN's Open Court.

"You cannot be serious!" Oh yes he is...

On the United States' long wait for another grand slam champion:

"Andy Roddick's now gone and we haven't won any slams in 10 years since Pete Sampras quit other than Roddick's one, so obviously there's some concern here. There's a lot of work to do and I think people remember the old days a bit.

Read: McEnroe mission - Meeting a tennis legend

"It was a great time for me and it was sort of a golden era for American tennis -- Jimmy Connors and myself and then Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier trying to run this tour -- so there's something that's missing and hopefully we can fill that niche and maybe inspire some younger kids as well."

On why Serena Williams is the best female player of all time:

"I've seen them all. What Billie Jean King has done for the game and the way she played was more like how I played, and Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert won a billion tournaments, Steffi Graf ... but to me overall, when Serena's on, she's the best I've ever seen play, the whole package as far as what she can bring to the table.

"Hopefully for us, we're wondering where the next American guy is -- the next American woman, we're still looking pretty sharp. Hopefully this will inspire some other people to get out there before she quits."

On why Serena has it harder than most:

"Serena's way better than I am (in terms of keeping her temper). There's no comparison. I think she's held herself and she's needed to -- obviously being a woman and, second, being looked at closer because she's black, so I think she's got a couple strikes against her before she even starts.

"Compared to the overall package that I think she's gone through and what she's experienced, I think she should be cut some slack. It doesn't excuse the time she got foot-faulted (at the 2009 U.S. Open), I think she would tell you she deserved to get faulted, but for the most part I think she's done an extremely good job. I mean, certainly compared to me (laughs)."

On playing with fellow tennis legends Agassi, Sampras, Connors, Courier, Michael Chang, Mats Wilander and Pat Rafter on the Power Shares circuit:

"It's an opportunity for us to show that we still got it a little. Most sports you don't have this chance. Most guys are too beat up physically -- you see what's happened in American Football, it's sad in a way, so we have it lucky.

Read: Champions chat - Sampras talks tennis

"There's a lot of physical wear and tear but if you keep it short like we try to do here -- short and sweet, we're not playing best of five sets, we're not even playing best of three sets, we're playing one set -- so it gives old guys like myself a chance."

On Tiger Woods and how golf has eclipsed tennis in U.S. popularity:

"I think tennis was bad for tennis more than he (Woods) was bad for tennis. Clearly there are a lot of elder statesman that it's a lot easier for them to go on a golf course than the tennis court. I happened to be one of those guys who doesn't play much golf.

"I know it's an extremely difficult game but in terms of keeping your health and in terms of what tennis has got to offer, I think it's a great sport, so I'm perplexed by the people who make that decision.

Read: Chang's 'underhand' tactics

"Back in my day in the early to mid-'80s, that's when they feel I nipped with (Arnold) Palmer and (Gary) Player who were incredible champions -- we were getting double the ratings of golf. If you would have told me then that golf would out-rate tennis, I would have laughed at you.

"Now they look at me like I'm crazy, like remember when tennis did better in the ratings than golf. But there's some marketing things we don't do, we're not reaching out to the fan the way golf or a lot of other sports do, so we've got our work cut out for us -- but that doesn't mean it can't turn around."

On why he was destined to play tennis:

"When I was eight and a half, my parents moved to a part of Queens where there was a club nearby. We joined and if you believe in someone up above I think I was meant to play tennis.

"I was extremely well taught and there was a bit of magic hopefully in the hands, the feel of the racket -- those days the wood racket, that suited me, the strategy, the feel, the subtlety of the game.

"And then there's a bit of Jekyll and Hyde that comes out, maybe with the upbringing, maybe it's something inexplicable, maybe with the times, but it somehow came together."

On being the enfant terrible of tennis:

"People have personalities ... seems like umpires did terrible jobs when I came out, so to me it was normal, you're confronting people all the time, so I was surprised when I went to England and they thought I was Attila the Hun or something.

"I think despite what you may see here, I'm not as physically intimidating as a Rafael Nadal, so you have to try to get an edge in a different way. One person who I saw that did an unbelievable job at that was Connors.

"The guy wanted it more, he was hungry, he tried harder, and he had this intensity. He hated your guts before he stepped on the court so I had to try to get inside someone's head and get myself so worked up so they'd feel they were up against it.

"So the best way I knew how was to give 110% and want it more than them, and walk on the court and every moment of the match feel like it was the end of the world, in a sense. So that worked for me in a lot of ways. There were times that it hurt me but for the most part it helped me."

On being shy underneath the anger:

"Well it's a bit of an act now, but to me it wasn't an act then. I felt like it was something that just came out. Believe it or not I was a pretty shy youngster growing up. I guess the cat was out of the bag when they said, 'Hey there's umpires and you can question calls.'

"In juniors, we don't have that. There are no umpires so it was a big change and all of the sudden it was a different situation. I saw guys I learned a lot from, like Connors and (Ilie) Nastase, I mean people were starting to rebel against the typical tennis players who were very polite and were wearing the long pants and who would act a certain way, and we wanted to be considered the way athletes in other sports were.

"On an American Football field or a soccer field, they're not saying 'Hello, how are you out there?' "

On why tennis needs strong rivalry:

"I didn't get along with most of the players I played against, but the one guy I did get along with was my greatest rival, so it can be done. Nadal and Roger Federer have great respect for each other. I think Novak Djokovic gets under those two guys' skin a little bit and maybe they don't want to admit it and I think that's in a way healthy.

"I think fans react to that more, if they sense there's something extra there other than two great tennis players. It's one thing if you live in London and you're rooting for Chelsea or you're in New York and you love the Giants or Jets and no matter who's on the team you're into it. It's different in tennis, you're sort of your own guy, so you have to reach out and grab a person in a different way."

On being a YouTube star:

"I've gotten a second wind with the kids. They're like, 'Man you were crazy,' but I don't think it compares to some of the crazy things going on now in the sports world -- off the field even more so than on. I mean, I'm sort of vanilla in a way.

"Yeah, I was getting into it but no more so to me than some of the other sports. I think because it was tennis, it was different."

On his dream opponents:

"I wouldn't have done well against Nadal on clay, that's for sure, but I always dreamed of playing Bjorn Borg on clay -- we never played at the French Open, probably for the best when I look back, and I bet Nadal would have been a similar nightmare.

"Sampras on grass would have been the ultimate test, and Federer -- I have to play him, Boris Becker was one of the greats, I played Boris, but on grass we never actually played at Wimbledon.

"And clearly Djokovic now because I played Connors and I said this guy's the greatest returner I've ever seen, and I played Agassi and said he's even better than Connors, and now I see Djokovic can sort of play offense and defense off the return, so he would be unbelievably tough as well.

"Out of the four guys (in today's rankings) Andy Murray probably plays close to the style I played. We actually did play very early in his career, some sort of big match in London with a big group of guys, winner take all sort of thing. The reason I brought it up is that I won -- Andy may have been seven at the time (laughs)."

On why New York will never lose the U.S. Open:

"I don't worry about that. I would be more worried about like the Australian Open if I was someone Down Under. They've done a good job trying to reach the level of the other three slams but you've got Paris, London, New York ... that's a pretty good start. Australia should be worried about China.

"You're talking to the wrong guy 'cause I live in New York, so New York is the greatest city in the world."

Via: John McEnroe: 'Attila the Hun' of tennis

Dubai suffers again as Serena pulls out

(CNN) -- Hours after losing Victoria Azarenka to injury, organizers of the Dubai Tennis Championships were dealt another major blow on Wednesday when Serena Williams also pulled out of the event.

The 31-year-old Williams, who became the oldest women's tennis player to be crowned world No. 1 on Monday, said she was forced out because of a back injury.

"I've just had some back problems the past couple of weeks," the American told an impromptu press conference.

"I thought it would get better as the week went on but it didn't. I don't want to keep pushing it and make it worse."

Read: Serena back on top of the world

Williams took to the court to apologize to fans who had arrived for her second-round match with Marion Bartoli of France.

The absences of both Williams and previous No. 1 Azarenka represent a severe dent to a popular $2 million tournament which had already been without the sport's two reported highest earners, Maria Sharapova and Li Na (according to Forbes magazine).

It is also a blow to the Women's Tennis Association, which has worked hard to introduce incentives and regulations to reduce the number of withdrawals from its events.

Wednesday's unexpected withdrawal follows that of second-ranked Azarenka, which ensured that Williams will hang on to top spot until the Sony Ericsson Open, which starts in Miami on March 18.

Read: Azarenka out of Dubai Open

Williams said her back also troubled her in last week's Qatar Open, where she was beaten in the final by the Belorussian, who withdrew from the Dubai championships with a foot injury.

The 15-time grand slam winner added that, having returned to the pinnacle after two and a half years during which her life and career were threatened following a freak foot injury in 2010, being No. 1 is no longer her primary goal.

"OK, I have done it, let's focus on my next goals which are the grand slams," Williams said, admitting that she already had at least half an eye on the French Open in Paris, starting on May 26.

"I really want to continue doing really well in those."

After winning Wimbledon and the US Open last year, Williams' total of grand slam titles is only three fewer than Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, who together are second on the all-time list behind Steffi Graf with 22.

Williams' absence increases the chances of world No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska making a successful defense of her title, which began with the Pole grinding out a 7-, 6-3 win over Yulia Putintseva, a promising 18-year-old wild card entry from Kazakhstan.

Bartoli, who received a wild-card invite after making a late entry, will face former world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki in the quarterfinals.

The Dane, now ranked 10th and a winner of the tournament in 2011, progressed with a 6-0 6-1 drubbing of China's former Wimbledon semifinalist Zheng Jie.

.

Via: Dubai suffers again as Serena pulls out

Unbeaten 10 years, Vergeer retires

(CNN) -- After 10 years unbeaten, and an incredible 470 successive victories, Esther Vergeer is hanging up her racket.

The 31-year-old has dominated wheelchair tennis for more than a decade, winning seven Paralympic gold medals, 13 world titles and all 21 of the grand slam singles events she entered, plus 23 in doubles.

"A special day: officially stopping tennis," Vergeer wrote on her Twitter page Tuesday.

She won 169 singles titles overall -- 120 of them consecutively -- plus 159 in doubles, and helped the Netherlands win the World Team Cup 12 times.

"I am impressed I got this far. I sometimes still cannot believe that in all these years I did not have a breakdown. But for now it's enough," Vergeer told reporters.

She was hailed as an inspirational figure by the head of the International Tennis Federation, Francesco Ricci Bitti.

"Esther Vergeer is a tremendous ambassador not only for tennis but also for disability sports," Ricci Bitti said.

Read: Wheelchair ace bares body and soul

"She is an inspiration to many. Wheelchair tennis owes her a huge debt of gratitude for her professionalism and her quality as a player.

"Everyone at the ITF wishes her well with her foundation and we know that anything she chooses to do in the future will be a success."

Vergeer began playing wheelchair tennis at the age of 12, having lost the use of her legs four years earlier after complications following spinal surgery.

She also played wheelchair basketball, but focused on the racket sport and became world No. 1 for the first time in 1999.

Vergeer spent 668 weeks at the top of the rankings, reaching a decade unbeaten on January 30, 2013 -- though her last competitive match was at the London 2012 Paralympics on September 8.

"I took a time-out since London and found out on the court there are no challenges left, but 'outside' there are plenty. For instance the will to give children with a disability an opportunity to play sport all over the world," she said, citing the work of her foundation.

Her 470 consecutive wins is not a world record; Pakistani squash star Jahangir Khan won 555 successive matches between 1981-86.

Another squash player, Heather McKay of Australia, was unbeaten from 1962-1981 and lost only two matches in her entire career.

In terms of able-bodied tennis, Martina Navratilova won 74 matches in a row in 1984, while the Open-era men's record is held by Guillermo Vilas (46 wins in 1977).

Vergeer's closing career record is 700 wins, 25 losses.

As well as her own charity, she has worked closely with the foundation set up by her compatriot Johan Cruyff, one of the most iconic figures in Dutch soccer.

Vergeer is a director at the ATP World Tour tennis tournament in Rotterdam, which this week marks its 40th staging with Roger Federer as the defending champion -- and was where she made a tearful announcement about her decision to quit.

"It's still hard and I've got to get used to it. It felt like an addiction, to get everything out of yourself each and every day, the kick of winning in three sets, winning Paralympic titles," she said.

"But going on would not add more to my career. I met so many people and situations that inspired me to mean something to others besides the court."

Via: Unbeaten 10 years, Vergeer retires

Azarenka out of Dubai Open

(CNN) -- Victoria Azarenka has been forced to withdraw from the Dubai Open for the second successive year after suffering an injured heel.

Azarenka, who surrendered the World No.1 spot Monday to Serena Williams, was hoping to build on her title win at the Qatar Open where she defeated the U.S. star.

The Belorussian would have regained the No.1 ranking had she won the tournament, but Williams is set to remain at the summit until the Indian Wells tournament next month.

Read: Azarenka ends time at the top on a high

"I'm very disappointed, but I have to listen to my body," Azarenka told reporters.

"The injury happened last week when I played a lot of tennis, so going on to a new tournament is just too much. The heel kept getting worse, and I needed to re-evaluate.

"Sometimes the schedule is just too difficult. Unfortunately you can't know when you plan it in November what will happen in February.

"I didn't want to continue taking painkillers because sometimes it's better to feel the pain. so that you can control the injury. Otherwise it can cause something which is much worse.

"This is just a warning that I have to take care of myself."

Azarenka, who has a 14-0 record this year, revealed that the physical demands of the schedule has become a growing concern since she won the Australian Open last month.

"I never realised before just how much it takes out of you," she said. "Physically and mentally it just drains you out - and then you realise."

Read: Serena back on top of the world

Meanwhile, Williams, who is the oldest woman to ever hold top spot in the rankings, is the big favorite for the $2 million tournament.

And the 31-year-old says she's feeling in rude health going into the competition.

She told reporters: "I was really, really, really, really sick last week and physically I just wasn't at my best, considering I couldn't train, and I didn't practice.

"I practised only one or two days before playing because I had the ankle problems.

"But I didn't want to not show up and not play. So at least if I could show up and play my way into shape I would be able to compete and that's what I did.

"I feel so much better this week already. I feel like a completely different athlete, and a completely different person, compared with last week."

Via: Azarenka out of Dubai Open

Del Potro rampant in Rotterdam

(CNN) -- Juan Martin del Potro banished the pain of last year's final defeat by Roger Federer after winning the Rotterdam Open title Sunday.

The Argentine defeated France's Julien Benneteau 7-6 6-3 to claim his fourth indoor tournament victory, despite having to play the final game with cotton wool stuffed up his nostril following a nosebleed.

And the 2009 U.S. Open champion, who was seeded second, was thrilled with the 14th ATP title triumph of his career, following last year's failure in the final.

Federer breezes into Rotterdam quarters

"It feels amazing, it was a big goal for me to win this title after losing the final last year," he told reporters.

"I'm so happy to be the champion. I'm feeling very confident with my serve, hopefully for the rest of the season. Today I did lose serve for the first time this week, but finals are tough to play.

"I played perhaps my worst tennis of the week at the start of the match, I came out very nervous, but I fought back. Later on I started feeling very confident and in control all the time.

"I will try to keep on winning; I'm looking forward to my next event. It's a big challenge for me this season to try and move closer to the number one position."

Williams eyes Azarenka final

Del Potro, who is currently ranked seventh in the world, is the second Argentine to win in Rotterdam after Guillermo Vilas, who triumphed in 1982 and finished runner-up the following year.

Benneteau had hoped to become the fifth Frenchman to win the title after recording a shock victory over Roger Federer in the semifinal.

But the 31-year-old, who has lost all eight ATP title finals, was unable to break his duck on this occasion.

"I can only congratulate Juan Martin," he told reporters.

"I did my best, but he was just too good for me today. He was too strong. I will still fight to finally try and win a trophy."

Via: Del Potro rampant in Rotterdam

Azarenka ends time at the top on a high

(CNN) -- Victoria Azarenka might be giving up her spot as World No.1 but the Belarusian showed successor Serena Williams that she's ready to fight to get it back.

Azarenka avenged the loss of top spot to Williams by defeating the U.S. star 7-6 2-6 6-3 in the final of the Qatar Open in Doha Sunday.

Williams, 31, will become the oldest woman to ever hold the No.1 ranking in the history of the game when she takes over Monday.

But she failed to follow up her impressive semifinal win over Maria Sharapova following an error strewn performance.

Instead, Azarenka, who successfully defended her Australian Open title last month, ended a nine-match losing streak against Williams to record just her second win in 13 attempts over her opponent.

Williams eyes Azarenka final

Leading 5-2 in the first set, the outgoing World No.1 allowed Williams back into the game with the American racing into a 6-5 lead.

Williams had set point but failed to take advantage and Azarenka ensured her opponent paid the penalty by taking the opener on a tie-break.

Williams hit back in the second, taking it 6-2, but she was unable to sustain her form and faltered in the third and decisive set.

"I can't say that I'm depressed like I am whenever I lose.," Williams told reporters. "I'm definitely not happy, but I'm number one."

"It was such a long journey, and after winning Wimbledon and the US Open and the (season-ending) Championships, I thought, I just don't think I can win anymore. I don't know what it takes to be number one.

"It was a good match overall. Victoria played really well, and did a great job."

Serena back on top of the world

Azarenka believes that her recovery from losing a one-sided second set was key to her success.

She told reporters: "I just wanted to fight and give it my best, and give myself every opportunity.

"I started at love-30 down and it was 'you have to keep it together and pull it around'. Serena was on a roll.

"I knew she would bring her A game, and I was really glad I could stay tough and focused."

Azarenka, who went 26-0 before losing at the quarterfinals in Miami last year, is now 14-0 in 2013.

Via: Azarenka ends time at the top on a high

Comeback kid Nadal takes Brazil title

(CNN) -- Rafael Nadal's rivals take note -- the Spaniard is on his way back and he's ready to fire on all cylinders.

The former World No.1 won his first title since ending a seven-month injury layoff by clinching victory in the final of the Brazil Open Sunday.

The 26-year-old saw off Argentina's David Nalbandian 6-2 6-3 in 78 minutes to claim the top prize of $82,300.

And Nadal, currently ranked fifth in the world, said he was delighted with his latest success.

Nadal's hardcourt injury claims

"It's a great title and important for me," he told reporters.

"Yesterday (during the semi-final) the knee hurt. Today it's better, rather bearable. I am happy to win in Brazil for the second time.

"I am going to think about Acapulco (later this month) and nothing else.

"We are going to see how the knee responds and then take stock. I don't have any problem playing against better rivals because I accept that I can lose. Losing is not a problem for me."

Knee injury continues to 'bother' Nadal

Nadal played at the Vina del Mar Open in Chile earlier this month, losing the singles and doubles finals last Sunday.

But 11-time grand slam winner is hopeful that he's back on the right path following a torrid time with injury.

He added: "I just need time to continue improving and return to a more competitive level."

Since last June's shock second round exit at Wimbledon, Nadal has suffered with a torn tendon and an inflammation of his left knee.

Nadal was forced to miss the Olympics and U.S Open as he continued his battle for full fitness.

His return was then further delayed by a stomach virus, forcing him to withdraw from the Australian Open.

Via: Comeback kid Nadal takes Brazil title

Nadal hits back at hardcourts

London (CNN) -- Rafa Nadal may wholeheartedly believe that hardcourts are "too tough" on players' bodies, but there is currently no proof to back up his claims, a leading sports scientist has told CNN.

"The evidence isn't there, which is surprising considering (how long serious sport has been played). But the proper randomized controlled trials simply haven't been done," says Edward Winter from the Center for Sport and Exercise Science at the UK's Sheffield Hallam University.

"Most of the evidence is anecdotal -- by that I mean identifying trends of injuries which can be related to surfaces or equipment is difficult to disentangle from individual anecdotes that athletes or others make," he added.

Nadal, who has struggled with knee problems during his career, criticized the ATP saying they "worry too little about players' health" adding that officials should consider reducing the number of tournaments played on hard surfaces in a bid to prolong sports activity on and off court.

"After ending the career, it would be nice to be able to play football with friends, or tennis ..." the 11-time grand slam champion said, speaking at the Brazil Open in Sao Paulo on Tuesday. his second tournament this year following a seven-month absence due to an injury to his left knee.

Read: Knee injury continues to 'bother' Rafael Nadal

"The ATP should start thinking about ways to lengthen players' careers. I can't imagine footballers playing on cement, I can't imagine any other sport involving aggressive movements such as tennis being played on such aggressive surfaces such as ours. We are the only sport in the world making this mistake and it won't change," added Nadal, who as youngster learnt the game playing on claycourts.

But Winter, a professor of the physiology of exercise, says there are many factors in play when it comes to assessing player health.

"As standards of performance increase so the demands also increase. There have been suggestions that this foreshortens people's careers, but alternatively -- and tennis is a good example -- you have Masters players continuing to play major competitions well into their 30s, 40s and 50s," Winter said.

Read: Unbeaten in 10 years, wheelchair tennis ace retires

"Identifying trends is still very difficult, but I know of no convincing evidence to suggest that there is an increasing problem that more players are now becoming more seriously injured."

Winter isn't without sympathy for the 26-year-old, who he says has suffered a lot during a seven-month layoff from the game, but a knee jerk-type reaction by the tennis authorities is unwarranted.

"To what extent is this an expression of disappointment and to what extent is this an expression of a general trend?" added Winter.

"For what it's worth, my money is on the former more than the latter. It is heartfelt and sincere expression of disappointment which one should sympathise with, but it is not an accurate comment on a general trend."

The ATP declined to comment on the matter.

Via: Nadal hits back at hardcourts

Williams eyes Azarenka final

(CNN) -- Serena Williams thrashed Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-2 to reach the final of the Qatar Open on Saturday.

The soon-to-be oldest women's world no.1 needed only 73 minutes to get past the Russian and set up a meeting with defending champion Victoria Azarenka on Sunday.

"Maria is always playing really well and so consistent, but I'm trying to be consistent as well," 31-year-old Williams said, WTATennis.com reported.

Read: Unbeaten in 10 years, wheelchair ace retires

"I love it here in Doha. I've never played this particular tournament but I've played in Doha before and had some good results, and I hope to have a good result in the final, too," Williams, who is seeking a 48th career title, added.

Top seed Azarenka beat Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska 6-3, 6-3 in the other semifinal.

"I think it was a really high performance match from both of us," Azarenak said, WTATennis.com reported.

"It was a little bit shaky in the beginning -- I think I did a little bit too many unforced errors and rushed a little bit into the rallies, but I started to be patient and more aggressive and dominant, really going for my shots when there was an opportunity, and taking advantage of every short ball she gave me," she added.

Via: Williams eyes Azarenka final

Serena back on top of the world

(CNN) -- Serena Williams wept with delight after becoming the oldest woman to ever hold the number one world ranking.

The 31-year-old American star clinched a 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory over Petra Kvitova in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open to move back to the summit following a two-and-a-half year interval which almost saw her quit the sport.

"I am so sensitive nowadays -- I am always crying, but I never thought I would be here again you know," Williams told reporters.

"I have been through so much and I never thought I would be here," she repeated.

Martina: Serena will 'break all records'

Williams first became World No.1 on July 8, 2002 at the age of 20 and will take top spot for the sixth time her career.

It is a remarkable comeback for Williams, who slipped as low as 175 in the rankings after missing almost a year with injury and a life threatening pulmonary embolism in 2011.

But she returned with a bang in 2012, winning Wimbledon, Olympic Gold, the U.S. Open and the WTA Championships, while she has also triumphed in 59 of her past 62 matches.

Williams, who will start her 124th career week at No.1 on Monday, beat Chris Evert's record of 27 years ago when she reached the top at the age of 30 and 11 months -- six months younger than her successor.

Serena Williams hits her own face

That's a total only bettered by Steffi Graf (377), Martina Navratilova (332), Evert (260), Martina Hingis (209) and Monica Seles (178).

The achievement had looked in doubt with Williams 4-1 down in the final set, but the American fought back to clinch a dramatic 7-5 victory.

Williams will now face Maria Sharapova in the semifinal after the Russian defeated Australia's Sam Stosur 6-2 6-4, while Victoria Azaraenka also progressed to the last four after defeating Sara Errani.

Federer breezes into Rotterdam quarters

Meanwhile, defending champion Roger Federer crashed out of the Rotterdam World Tennis tournament after suffering a shock 6-3 7-5 defeat by France's Julien Benneteau.

The World No.2, who won the tournament in 2005 and 2012, was hoping to bounce back after losing out at the semifinals of the Australian Open.

"I'm very disappointed, I have some regrets about this match," he told reporters.

"He played great and created more chances than I did. He deserved to win. It was a tough loss, but they do happen. Being broken so many times (five) indoors won't get the job done. My game was up and down overall.

"He made it difficult and generated pressure. That made you try to serve harder. When I had some chances I didn't take them. I was maybe a point or two away from taking it into a third set and then the clock resets."

Relaxed Federer accepts the end of his dominance

Benneteau, the world 39, will play a Saturday a semifinal against either fifth seed compatriot Gilles Simon or Slovak Martin Klizan.

"This was a dream match, and I played like a dream," he told reporters.

"This is for sure my biggest win. He was the favorite, but maybe he played a bit tight. I've been playing well all week, improving with each match.

"I've had a great week here so far and I hope it's not finished."

Second seed Juan Martin del Potro cruised into the semifinals with a victory in straight sets against Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.

The Argentine won 6-3, 6-4, and will now face unseeded Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov who came from a set down to beat Marcos Baghdatis.

Via: Serena back on top of the world

Federer breezes into Rotterdam quarters

(CNN) -- Roger Federer is on course for a second successive World Tennis Tournament title after he defeated Dutch wild card Thiemo de Bakker 6-3 6-4 in just over an hour in Rotterdam.

The Swiss 17-time grand slam winner has lost just five times in his eight appearances at the tournament and never looked in any trouble against his 24-year-old opponent.

Federer will now play Julien Benneteau in the quarterfinals on Friday as he goes in search of his 77th career title.

"I'm happy. Things are obviously pretty quick indoors," Federer said in a court side interview. "Thiemo can serve well and he is very talented, so it is a good victory for me."

The man Federer beat in last year's final, Juan Martin Del Potro, from Argentina, is on course to meet his nemesis again after disposing of Latvian Ernests Gulbis 7-6 6-3.

The Argentinean fired 12 aces past his opponent as he goes in search of his 14th Tour title. He will now play Jarkko Nieminen in the last eight after the Finn beat German qualifier Matthias Bachinger 6-3 5-7 6-3.

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis eased past Frenchman Richard Gasquet, the fourth seed, with a 6-4 6-4 win.

Elsewhere, the International Tennis Federation announced Thursday that Barbora Strycova has been handed a backdated six-month ban after testing positive for a banned stimulant.

The 26-year-old gave a positive test for sibutramine on October 16 at the Luxembourg Open as a result of taking weight-loss supplement ACAI Berry Thin but denied she had any intention to enhance her performance.

The ITF said it "did not dispute" Strycova's account and backdated her ban, meaning the Czech player will be able to compete again from April 16 onwards.

Via: Federer breezes into Rotterdam quarters

Unbeaten in 10 years, wheelchair ace retires

(CNN) -- After 10 years unbeaten, and an incredible 470 successive victories, Esther Vergeer is hanging up her racket.

The 31-year-old has dominated wheelchair tennis for more than a decade, winning seven Paralympic gold medals, 13 world titles and all 21 of the grand slam singles events she entered, plus 23 in doubles.

"A special day: officially stopping tennis," Vergeer wrote on her Twitter page Tuesday.

She won 169 singles titles overall -- 120 of them consecutively -- plus 159 in doubles, and helped the Netherlands win the World Team Cup 12 times.

"I am impressed I got this far. I sometimes still cannot believe that in all these years I did not have a breakdown. But for now it's enough," Vergeer told reporters.

She was hailed as an inspirational figure by the head of the International Tennis Federation, Francesco Ricci Bitti.

"Esther Vergeer is a tremendous ambassador not only for tennis but also for disability sports," Ricci Bitti said.

Read: Wheelchair ace bares body and soul

"She is an inspiration to many. Wheelchair tennis owes her a huge debt of gratitude for her professionalism and her quality as a player.

"Everyone at the ITF wishes her well with her foundation and we know that anything she chooses to do in the future will be a success."

Vergeer began playing wheelchair tennis at the age of 12, having lost the use of her legs four years earlier after complications following spinal surgery.

She also played wheelchair basketball, but focused on the racket sport and became world No. 1 for the first time in 1999.

Vergeer spent 668 weeks at the top of the rankings, reaching a decade unbeaten on January 30, 2013 -- though her last competitive match was at the London 2012 Paralympics on September 8.

"I took a time-out since London and found out on the court there are no challenges left, but 'outside' there are plenty. For instance the will to give children with a disability an opportunity to play sport all over the world," she said, citing the work of her foundation.

Her 470 consecutive wins is not a world record; Pakistani squash star Jahangir Khan won 555 successive matches between 1981-86.

Another squash player, Heather McKay of Australia, was unbeaten from 1962-1981 and lost only two matches in her entire career.

In terms of able-bodied tennis, Martina Navratilova won 74 matches in a row in 1984, while the Open-era men's record is held by Guillermo Vilas (46 wins in 1977).

Vergeer's closing career record is 700 wins, 25 losses.

As well as her own charity, she has worked closely with the foundation set up by her compatriot Johan Cruyff, one of the most iconic figures in Dutch soccer.

Vergeer is a director at the ATP World Tour tennis tournament in Rotterdam, which this week marks its 40th staging with Roger Federer as the defending champion -- and was where she made a tearful announcement about her decision to quit.

"It's still hard and I've got to get used to it. It felt like an addiction, to get everything out of yourself each and every day, the kick of winning in three sets, winning Paralympic titles," she said.

"But going on would not add more to my career. I met so many people and situations that inspired me to mean something to others besides the court."

Via: Unbeaten in 10 years, wheelchair ace retires