Francesca Schiavone, Ayumi Morita support The Power Over Cervical Cancer

The on-going BMW Malaysian Open 2011 today spread its influence and reach for a good cause as Francesca Schiavone, along with Ayumi Morita, Shuko Aoyama and Chan Chin Wei took time off their busy schedules to support a good cause, ‘The Power Over Cervical Cancer (POCC) – Helping To Protect Every Woman’.

which is an integrated communications campaign on Cervical Cancer Education and Awareness, by the National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM).

At the NCSM’s headquarters, the players met with the NCSM’s management and staff who run an invaluable service for women in helping and aiding women to discuss with their healthcare professionals (HCPs), on medical problems and issues while seeking protection against cervical cancer with pap smears and vaccinations.

Group photo - tennis players with celebrities and NCSM management and staff

The players were also taken on a tour of the NCSM’s headquarters and facilities, as they met and mingled with cancer survivors, current patients undergoing treatment and medical consultation, as well as local celebrity ambassadors who champion NCSM’s causes and activities, such as Sarimah Ibrahim, Genevieve Sambhy, and the Chong sisters Vanessa and Pamela.

Schiavone with a young patient

Schiavone, who turned up at NCSM despite nursing an injury picked up during yesterday’s match, said, “I am passionate about charitable causes such as NCSM’s POCC campaign as back in Italy, I have friends who are both cancer patients and doctors who treat cancer patients. Off and on, every couple of months I go to a big private hospital near my home and stay there for as long as I can to lend my support and help out in whatever way that I can, as it is a great experience and I will continue to do so as long as I can.”

(Images by Carbon Media Management)

Sake barrel cracking ceremony without the REAL Samurai

It only takes one player to complete this group.

The REAL Samurai, Sam Querrey!

However the rising son of America has been sidelined for four-to-six weeks after injuring his right forearm in a freak accident in Bangkok.

He could have joined Gael Monfils, Kimiko Date Krumm, Ayumi Morita, Juan Martin Del Potro, Lleyton Hewitt, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, to crack the sake barrels during a welcome reception on Day 2 of the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis tournament at Hotel Grand Pacific Le Daiba yesterday.


(Images by Kiyoshi Ota/Getty Images)

Chinese stars Zheng Jie & Peng Shuai shine at Australian Open

Chinese tennis stars Zheng Jie and Peng Shuai shine for Asia on the second day of the Australian Open, but regional hopes were dented as Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn bowed out.

Perhaps Zheng is Asia’s best hopes after her fellow countryman Li Na bowed out of the tournament due to injury.

“It was tough out there, hot and windy, so it wasn’t comfortable but it was a good win,” Zheng said after defeated Camille Pin 6-3, 6-3.

Along with Peng, she joins Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, India’s Sania Mirza and Taiwan’s Rendy Lu Yen-Hsun in the next round.

Also through is Chan Yung-jan, who won an all-Taiwanese battle against Hsieh Su-Wei 6-3, 6-3.

Japan’s Ayumi Morita was a first-round casualty, losing to Germany’s Tatjana Malek 7-6 (4), 6-2 as she joined Nishikori and Tamarine on an early departure.

Peng battled past Italian Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (4), 6-1 but fellow Chinese Meng Yuan failed to repeat her success last year against Serena Williams who revenged with the score 6-3, 6-2.

There were high expectations for Nishikori but he was unable to overcome Austria’s Jurgen Melzer which resulted him to lost 5-7, 2-6, 1-6.

There were also similar hopes for the experienced Tamarine after her successful at the Wimbledon last year where she reached the quarterfinal. But she lost focus against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, losing in straight sets 7-5, 6-3.

(Via jakartaglobe.com; Images via sports.sina.com, nikkansports.com)

'AIG SUNDAY' packed with 10,000 tennis fans

The pre-tournament event at the AIG Sunday saw an attendance of about 10,000 tennis fans.

The event saw the practice sessions of Kei Nishikori (錦織 圭) vs Go Soeda and Kimiko Date vs Ayumi Morita as well as exhibition doubles match between Takao Suzuki/Satoshi Iwabuchi vs David Ferrer/Tommy Robredo.

The exhibition match between world No. 1 wheelchair tennis player (also Paralympic gold medallist) Shingo Kunieda and Satoshi Saida was also on schedule but it was canceled at the last minute due to Kunieda's elbow injury.

Here are some photos from the event.

Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda

Kimiko Date is still very much popular with the tennis fans

(From left to right) David Ferrer, Tommy Robredo, Satoshi Iwabuchi and Takao Suzuki

Kei Nisihikori with Paralympic gold medallist, Shingo Kunieda

(Via jta.blog.so-net.ne.jp)

Kei Nishikori, Ai Sugiyama: The Japanese tennis team at Beijing Olympics

Together with Ayumi Morita (picture nowhere to be found), Kei Nishikori (錦織圭) and Ai Sugiyama form the Japanese tennis team at the Beijing Olympics (オリンピック) 2008.

Tennis veteran Sugiyama will face tough opponent Daniela Hantucova, the 10th seed in the first round, while Morita will be facing New Zelander Marina Erakovic.

In the men's single draw, Japanese tennis prince Kei Nishikori, the 124th-ranked wildcard entrant Kei Nishikori (JPN) is drawn to face 34th-ranked, Wimbledon 2008 semifinalist, Rainer Schuettler in the first round.

(Images via nikkansports.com)