Brian Baker wheeled off court at Australian Open

Brian Baker must be the most unlucky man on tour.

He was wheeled off court earlier today after retiring from his second round match against fellow American Sam Querrey at the Australian Open.

The 27-year-old only returned to the tour last year after almost six seasons out with a variety of injuries.

However, sadly, Baker who was making his debut at the first grand slam of the year was forced to quit with a knee injury.

"He's the last person that deserves anything like that with his five or six surgeries already," Querrey said.

Baker under the knife:

• Left hip (2005)
• Hernia (2006)
• Right elbow reconstructive surgery (February 2008)
• Left hip (April 2008)
• Right hip (June 2008)

(Via Dailymail.co.uk)

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)

Simon, Ginepri, Isner go barefoot & shirtless for Muay Thai fun

I've been neglecting other tournaments lately to provide exclusive coverage on the Malaysian Open.

So here's a little bit of updates regarding the PTT Thailand Open.

Gilles Simon, Robby Ginepri and John Isner attended a promotional/traditional event for the tournament yesterday.

They did a Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) demonstration guided by Thai Olympian Somjit Jongjorhor.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga did the same thing last year.

I hope the other guys take good care of Simon. He and his 'chicken legs' look too fragile for this sport :P

Here are more pictures at the event.

By the way, if you haven't know yet, Sam Querrey had a freak accident earlier this week while practicing for the Thailand Open.

Querrey was said to have sat on a glass table after practice on Monday and fell through, cutting his right forearm. The injury required immediate emergency surgery.

(Photo by Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

TENNIS WATCH: Malaysian Tennis Classic, Serena living On The Line, Oudin & Querrey at NASDAQ, Uncle Toni lookalike

Great news for fellow Malaysians!

Next year, we'll be having both ATP and WTA events! What a dream come true!

Officially announced in the Sony Ericsson WTA website, the Malaysian Tennis Classic sanctioned by LTAM will begin on February 22, 2010, right after the Chinese New Year :D

Thanks to Hamdan for the tips!

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Serena Williams memoir already hit the bookstore.

For more info regarding the content of the autobiography, read it from Black Tennis Pro's.

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No... giant-killer Melanie Oudin did not get arrested for defeating Elena Dementieva and Maria Sharapova.

Together with fellow American Sam Querrey they were at the NASDAQ earlier this week to ring the opening bell at the stock exchange.

Check out Querrey's nerdy look...

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Am I the only one who think Jesse Witten look like Uncle Toni?

By the way, I enjoyed Witten's performance at the US Open. He proves chubby guys can play good tennis too :D

Elena Dementieva, Sam Querrey officially US Open Series 2009 winners

2009 Olympus US Open Series men’s champion Sam Querrey and women's champion Elena Dementieva were at the photoshoot today.

Both of them are now eligible to compete for the largest payout in tennis history at the 2009 US Open — $2.6 million ($1.6 million for winning the US Open and a $1 million bonus for winning the US Open and the Olympus US Open Series)!

The second and third place finishers will compete for up to $500,000 and $250,000, respectively, in bonus prize money.

(Image via US Open website)

TENNIS WATCH: Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, Querrey overtakes Murray, Venus accepts Americanism Award

Will Ferrell and Jordin Sparks will join Andy Roddick and other tennis stars for the 14th annual Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day this Saturday.

The festivities are set for August 29 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y., from 9:30AM - 4PM.

The tennis and music festival kicks off the 2009 US Open, which runs from August 31 - September 13.

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By defeating Bjorn Phau and reaching the quarterfinals of New Haven, Sam Querrey has overtaken Andy Murray and won the men's US Open Series.

Querrey wins the title because he has 14 match wins in series events, compared to eight for Murray.

In the women's singles, Flavia Pennetta still has a shot at winning the women's US Open Series, but needs to win the title in order to overtake Elena Dementieva.

The Series winner gets double prize money at the US Open, with one and a half times the prize money for the second place finisher and one and a quarter times for the third place finisher.

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Earlier today, the Anti Defamation League (ADL) honoured tennis star Venus WIlliams with the Americanism Award for speaking out on behalf of Israeli tennis star Shahar Peer, who was denied a visa to play in the 2009 Dubai Tennis Championship back in February.

(Via US Open official website, tennis.com)

VIDEO: It Must Be Love US Open promo videos

If you haven't watch any of the US Open promo videos released by the USTA, here are the players so far who has taken a seat in the director's chair and express their love for tennis.

Serena Williams, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Dinara Safina, Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, Jelena Jankovic, James Blake, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic, Sam Querrey

Weekend winners: Quick update

It's been days without updates... but nevertheless here are the winners last weekend.

Sam Querrey, who made headlines with his Samurai gang (Querrey's fan club members), won his second tour title, ending qualifier Carsten Ball's run 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 in Los Angeles.

Nikolay Davydenko won his second title in two weeks, defeating Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-3, 6-0 in Umag.

Qualifier Thomaz Bellucci won his maiden ATP title, rolling through Andreas Beck 6-4, 7-6(2) to win Gstaad.

Vera Dushevina taking her first WTA title in easy fashion, winning 6-0, 6-1 over Lucie Hradecka in Istanbul.

And lastly, Marion Bartoli brushed off Venus Williams in the Stanford final, winning 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 43 minutes.

(Via tennis.com; Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Lucky loser Rajeev Ram captures first ATP title

Rajeev Ram beat third-seeded Sam Querrey, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-3, in the Hall of Fame Tennis championships Sunday for his first ATP title.

Ram, a lucky loser after top-seeded Mardy Fish withdrew on Monday to replace Andy Roddick in the United States Davis Cup team, won the first all-American final on Newport’s grass courts in seven years.

It was the first ATP final for Ram, the 181st ranked player entering the week, and the lowest ranked to win an event this year.

“These days don’t come around very often unless you’re (Roger) Federer or (Rafael) Nadal. There’s definitely pressure,” Ram said.

“I tried to play tennis instead of thinking about what the moment was.”

Ram withdrew from his qualifier match on Monday, knowing he’d be placed in the draw when Fish pulled out.

“Winning tournaments is not normal on the tour for 99 percent of us,” he said.

Ram earned $79,000 for his singles title while Querrey collected $41,500.

Ram went on to win the doubles title as he partnered Jordan Kerr to defeat Michael Kohlman and Rogier Wassen 6-7(6), 7-6(7), 10-6.

(Via AP; Images via Yahoo! Sports)

Merry X'mas & Happy Holiday wishes from the ATP & Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players

The star players at ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour send out a very cute Christmas message to fans.



Lead by world no. 3 Novak Djokovic, the players came up with a hilarious rendition of the "12 Days of Christmas'.

Some of the players include Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, Jo-WIlfried Tsonga, Vera Zvonareva, Nikolay Davydenko, Dinara Safina, Nicolas Kiefer and many more. Do check out Sam Querrey singing too!

At the end of the video, ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour invite tennis fans to check out the brand new TennisTV.com, which will live stream more than 700 matches, highlights, exclusive interviews and behind the scenes features from more than 40 tournaments around the world in 2009.

Is this Sam Querrey or Sam Queer-ey?

I just find these photos of Sam Querrey a bit fascinating. If you don't know what I mean, just look at his left hand.

Last night, Andy Murray defeated Querrey 6-2, 6-4 to stay on track for a record third straight Masters title after winning at Cincinnati and Madrid.

Probably Querrey was intimidated by Murray's magnificent run hence handed him an easy win.

(Images via Yahoo! Sport)

Don't you think Fernando Verdasco and Ana Ivanovic are a perfect match?

So what do you get when you put two beautiful and famous tennis players like Fernando Verdasco and Ana Ivanovic together?

Do they create spark and chemistry?

Anyone looking at this picture might thought some flirting is going on *evil grin*. They could be the hottest item!

Updates: Check out more pictures here!

And it seems that David Ferrer and Richard Gasquet aren't comfortable seeing someone flirting there :P

So, Ferrer find someone else to kiss with. And that's Svetlana Kuznetsova.


So much drama going on here? Haha.

Well, guys, Verdasco is already attached to a hot Spanish model Priscila de Gustin.

And Ferrer's kiss isn't a romantic one either.


Apparently the players along with others like Jelena Jankovic, Andy Roddick and Sam Querrey were only catching up with each other while attending the official reception of the 2008 China Open at Shangri-La Hotel yesterday.


(Images via Yahoo! Sport, sina.com)

Mardy Fish to replace injured Bob Bryan for US

Injured doubles player Bob Bryan has been replaced on the U.S. team by Mardy Fish for the Davis Cup semifinal against Spain this weekend, the second high-profile loss for the American side.

Bryan is recovering in the U.S. after receiving a cortisone shot for an inflamed left shoulder, team spokesman Tim Curry said.

The U.S. Davis Cup team pose before a press conference in Madrid. Left to right: Sam Querrey, Andy Roddick, team captain Patrick McEnroe, Mike Byran and Mardy Fish.

Singles player James Blake, who has been a regular on the U.S. team since 2005, pulled out last week citing exhaustion.

It will be the first time in 16 Davis Cup matches that Bryan and his twin brother, Mike, won’t play together. The Bryans, who are 14-2 since debuting in 2003, helped the U.S. win the Davis Cup last year.

“I aggravated it pretty bad at the (U.S.) Open and only made things worse,” Bryan said on the Davis Cup Web site. “I knew if I wanted a chance to play the rest of this year, I had to shut it down now. I can’t even hit any balls.”

The 23rd-ranked Fish practiced on the clay Tuesday with Mike Bryan and could line up with him in doubles.

Andy Roddick during a practice session at the Las Ventas Bullring in Madrid.

The U.S. team's Andy Roddick, left, plays the ball to Sam Querrey during a practice.

The other team members are Andy Roddick and Sam Querrey, who replaced Blake.

“When you have a pair like the Bryans that know each other well … a match against them is always difficult,” Spain captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario said.

“But Fish reached the quarters of Australian and U.S. Open and comes with talent even if he doesn’t play doubles in a consistent fashion.”

The best-of-five series begins Friday with two singles matches, followed by the doubles on Saturday and reverse singles Sunday.

Fish is 5-5 in Davis Cup play, including 4-4 in singles and 1-1 in doubles. His last appearance was in 2004, when he won one singles match and lost another as Spain beat the U.S. in the final in Seville.

The matches will be played on red clay at the Las Ventas bullfighting arena.

The Spanish team is led by No. 1-ranked Rafael Nadal.

Spain's team captain Emilio Sanchez, speaks during a press conference. Left to right: Rafael Nadal, Emilio Sanchez, Fernando Verdasco and Nicolas Almagro.

Rafael Nadal doesn't really enjoy press conference.

Though Spain appears the overwhelming favourite now, Sanchez Vicario said the team was doing some adjusting of its own to the Spanish capital’s high altitude.

“The altitude is something that influences the game very much, but we feel positive here and we will look to play the best we can,” he said. “We came here early to accustom ourselves to it.”

(Via AP Sports, Images by Yahoo! Sports)