Top seeds and two-time defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan took time out from their first-match preparations at the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid yesterday to sign autographs and copies of the new ATP Feel the Speed of Doubles book for fans.
The American twins, who have amassed a 60-14 doubles record and clinched five titles this year, will contest their first match since winning the US Open crown last month against Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa in Madrid on Thursday.
In second round action, fifth seeds Jonas Bjorkman and Kevin Ullyett—who are tied No. 5 in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race—boosted their chances of qualifying for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai after beating Tomas Berdych and Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 3-6, 10-7 in 80 minutes.
Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, who are locked in a two-team battle with the Bryan brothers for year-end No. 1 honours, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-6(3), 6-4 win over Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.
Polish duo Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski also advanced to the quarterfinals on Wednesday, after edging past French duo and recent Metz titlists Arnaud Clement and Michael Llodra 7-5, 7-6(14) in 91 minutes.
Rafael Nadal, who had been due to partner compatriot Carlos Moya in the second round against fourth seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles on Wednesday afternoon, withdrew from that match due to slight pain in his lower back.
(Images by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
BRISBANE tennis fans may glimpse Novak Djokovic's glamour girlfriend Leryn Franco when the Serb takes to the court at the Brisbane International.
"A lot of these guys do travel with their girlfriends through to the Australian Open, so I guess there is every chance she could be here," said the tournament's director, Steve Ayles. "But I couldn't say for sure."
I can't believe this 'cheap' claims comes from the Brisbane tournament director. I mean Djokovic himself already denied the rumour at the recent U.S Open.
Another event's big drawcard, Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be attending the Brisbane International too.
Ayles also confirmed that Tsonga, is desperate to check out Queensland's deep-sea fishing.
"He does love to fish so we're trying to organise a trip for him."
In the meanwhile here are some latest pictures of Djokovic at a welcoming evening at Bratislava, before the start of the Davis Cup match between Serbia and Slovakia. He was seen dancing with Slovakian singer Sisa Sklovska.
Updated: And here are more photos of Djokovic and his Serbian teammates and the Slovakian team.
Novak Djokovic leads the Serbian team.
Serbian tennis player Janko Tipsarevic is pictured at the press conference at the end of
the draw for of the Davis Cup World Group.
The Serbian tennis team (Left to right) Novak Djokovic, Bogdan Obradovic,
Janko Tipsarevic, and Viktor Troicki. 
(Left to right) Slovakia tennis team members Dominik Hrbaty, Lukas Lacko, and Milos Mecir, and Serbian tennis team players Bogdan Obradovic, Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipsarevic, Viktor Troicki, and Nenad Zimonjic.
Tennis players Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia and Novak Djokovic of Serbia.
(Via couriermail.com.au, Images via Yahoo! Sport)
Now, my chance to win a trip to London under the ESPNStar.com's Thai Airways contest is brighter as I've predicted Venus Williams win at the Wimbledon women singles.
Venus proves she is really comfortable playing on grass court by winning her 5th Wimbledon women singles trophy! Not only that, it's a double celebration for Venus as she also won the women's doubles title!
“I’m definitely more in tune with my sister’s feelings because one of us has to win and one of us has to lose,” the No. 7-seeded Venus said. “You could never detract from winning a Wimbledon, so of course it doesn’t detract from that. But I’m definitely thinking about how my sister’s feeling.”
I think it's bullshit when people said the sisters will sit down together with their parents and discuss who's going to win at Wimbledon. Serena lost to her big sister Venus 5-7, 4-6, as though she had just finished losing to a stranger.“It’s definitely not any easier,” Serena said. “I just look at her as another opponent at the end of the day.”
About 3.5 hours after the women singles final ended, the sisters returned to the same court, except now they were playing on the same side of the net, and they beat Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-2 to win the women’s doubles title.
On the men's doubles final, Daniel Nestor celebrates with Nenad Zimonjic after winning 7-6 (14-12), 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-3, in a match that lasted 2 hours, 39 minutes against Kevin Ullyett and Jonas Bjorkman.
(Images by AFP/POOL/Glyn Kirk/Ian Walton/Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Top seeds and two-time defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan took time out from their first-match preparations at the Mutua Madrilena Masters Madrid yesterday to sign autographs and copies of the new ATP Feel the Speed of Doubles book for fans.
