Paradorn Srichaphan's mohawk defeats Thailand's tallest prang

I'll have to give Paradorn Srichaphan's mohawk a pass.

Together with current Thai no.1 tennis player Danai Udomchoke, the boys were promoting Hua Hin Centennial Invitation exhibition match earlier this week.

They will set to play in a one-set mixed doubles match with Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova at 2.30PM on Saturday, January 2, 2010 at the brand new centennial Park, InterContinental Hua Hin Resort.

You can get the tickets from ThaiTicketmajor.com or at the hotel.

For fans who want to welcome Sharapova and Venus at the Suvarnabhumi airport, here's a huge tip: the girls will be arriving at 6.30AM on Friday, January 1, 2010. Send me an email if you want further details.

Thanks for BEC-Tero Entertainment for the info.

Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova to kick off New Year at Hua Hin exhibition

BEC-Tero Entertainment informed us that Maria Sharapova and Venus Williams will be participating in the Centennial Invitation in Hua Hin on January 2, 2010 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Hua Hin and usher in the New Year at the same time.

It was reported that more than 20 million baht will be spent to stage the exhibition match.

A temporary court with a capacity to seat 4,000 people at the Hua Hin Centennial Park.

After their singles match, Sharapova and Williams will combine with local stars Paradorn Srichaphan and Danai Udomchoke for a set of mixed doubles.

The players are expected to celebrate their New Year’s Eve at the new InterContinental Resort.

Tickets for the Centennial Invitation go on sale at all Thaiticketmajor outlets and Major Hua Hin from November 21 onwards.

Safin, Sharapova among tennis stars to kick off 2010 at the Hong Kong Tennis Classic

Looks like it has becoming a trend in Asia (e.g. Doha, Malaysia, etc) where tennis events are heavily bankrolled by their respective governments.

Now the same thing is happening to the yearly tennis exhibition JB Classic after its title sponsor pulled out recently.

A new event with different format has taken over - the Hong Kong Tennis Classic 2010.

Next January, teams from four regions of the world (Russia, Asia, America and Europe) will consist of two ladies and a man.

Team Russia: Marat Safin, Maria Sharapova, Vera Zvonareva
Team Asia: Paradorn Srichaphan, Zheng Jie, Ayumi Morita
Team America: Michael Chang, Venus Williams, Gisela Dulko
Team Europe: Stefan Edberg, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka

The new team format will feature women’s & men’s singles and mixed doubles matches over four days of action packed tennis at Victoria Park.

Tickets for the Hong Kong Tennis Classic will be on sale from the beginning of December. Details will be announced in due course.

For more information, please contact the following:
KCE Sport and Entertainment
Mr. Terry Catton, Co-Tournament Director
Ms. Amy Tsang, PR & Communications Manager
Tel: (852) 2723 8721/ (852)9809 8710 Fax: (852) 2311 0040
Email: amy@kcesport.com.hk

The Real Glam Slam in Doha

All top eight women's players attended the draw ceremony for the WTA Championships at the Museum of Islamic Art in the Qatari capital Doha yesterday.

Round robin groups for the Sony Ericsson year-end championships are:

WHITE GROUP
Dinara Safina
Caroline Wozniacki
Victoria Azarenka
Jelena Jankovic

MAROON GROUP
Serena Williams
Svetlana Kuznetsova
Elena Dementieva
Venus Williams

The top two finishers in each group advance to the semifinals, where each first-placed player will face the second-placed player from the other group.

The 1.55-million-dollar championship willl be held between October 27 and November 1.

World no.2 Serena Williams


World no. 7 Venus Williams


World no. 5 Elena Dementieva

Svetlana Kuznetsova (no. 3), Dinara Safina (no.1), Caroline Wozniacki (no.4)

Victoria Azarenka (no. 6), Jelena Jankovic (no.8)

(Images by Getty Images)

US Open Day 15 Wrap-up: Federer loses a grand slam final to somebody who isn't Nadal

I admit the title of this post isn't from me... I took it from ToniTennis via Menstennisforums.com.

It was an unexpected win by Juan Martin del Potro, no?

Even del Potro himself can't believe he had won, pouring cold water all over his head to ensure he wasn't dreaming.

The victory made him the first South American man to triumph in New York since Guillermo Vilas in 1977.

However, the match was spoiled by Federer's uncharacteristic display, after he launched a tirade at the American chair umpire during a changeover.

Federer complained that del Potro had been given too much time to challenge a line call.

"No, it's too late," an angry Federer said.

"I wasn't even able to challenge after two seconds and he takes 10 seconds every time. Do you have any rules in there?"

Federer then continued, "I don't give a shit what he said. Don't fucking tell me the rules."

Federer's nagging were picked up by CBS microphones and broadcasted live.

Earlier in the women's doubles final, Serena and Venus Williams won the US Open title, defeating top seeds Cara Black and Liezel Huber 6-2, 6-2.

(Via AP; Images via Yahoo! Sports)

US Open Day 3 Wrap-up: Rafael Nadal sails through without knee problem, bye-bye Safin, Santoro

Those who are curious about Rafael Nadal's knee probably have the answer now.

He's indeed okay and he can play well too!

Kicking off his US Open campaign, Nadal encountered no apparent trouble in winning the first round 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 over Richard Gasquet.

Maybe you might say Gasquest wasn't a fit opponent...

It's probably too early to predict Nadal's road to final but one thing for sure, Nadal said he has never felt so fresh.

Nadal's rival, Roger Federer, who is bidding for a 6th consecutive US Open championship—and 3rd Grand Slam title in a row this year— has no problem in overcoming Simon Greul with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 victory.

Waiting for Federer next is two-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt, who defeated Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3, 6-3, 6-4.

Venus Williams may have a wide patches of white tape on her left knee but still, she can easily overcome Bethanie Mattek-Sands 6-4, 6-2.

Kim Clijsters continues to play by knocking off no. 14-seeded Marion Bartoli 5-7, 6-1, 6-2.

With over a billion Indians following her every move on the tour, Sania Mirza displayed horrible tennis after being bageled twice by Flavia Pennetta.

Other seeded women sent home included Samantha Stosur, in a shocking defeat to Vania King, who won 7-5, 6-4; former world no.1 Amelie Mauresmo, who lost to Aleksandra Wozniak; Agnieszka Radwanska, who was defeated by Maria Kirilenko; and Anabel Medina Garrigues.

There were no men's seeded losers today.

Marat Safin and Fabrice Santoro said goodbye to Grand Slam tennis with first round exits.

Both of them are retiring at the end of the season.

Safin, the 2000 US Open champion, lost to Jurgen Melzer 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 while Santoro, appearing in his record 69th major tournament, was beaten by Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

US Open men's singles results from New York on Thursday (prefix denotes seeding)

1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Simon Greul (Germany) 6-3 7-5 7-5
9-Gilles Simon (France) beat Daniel Gimeno (Spain) 6-4 7-6(3) 6-3
18-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Alberto Martin (Spain) 7-5 5-7 6-3 6-3
Philipp Petzschner (Germany) beat Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukraine) 7-6(3) 6-7(6) 6-4 4-6 6-3
6-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) beat Juan Monaco (Argentina) 6-3 6-3 6-1
Robby Ginepri (US) beat Andrei Pavel (Romania) 5-7 6-2 6-4 6-0
Daniel Koellerer (Austria) beat Rui Machado (Portugal) 6-2 6-4 2-6 6-2
32-Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat Steve Darcis (Belgium) 6-2 6-4 2-6 7-6(8)
Jose Acasuso (Argentina) beat Marcos Daniel (Brazil) 6-2 6-4 6-3
3-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Richard Gasquet (France) 6-2 6-2 6-3
Thomaz Bellucci (Brazil) beat Lu Yen-Hsun (Taiwan) 6-4 6-2 6-3
Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay) beat Chris Guccione (Australia) 6-4 7-6(4) 6-0
24-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Fabrice Santoro (France) 6-4 6-3 6-3
Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) beat Michael Llodra (France) 6-3 6-4 6-4
Juergen Melzer (Austria) beat Marat Safin (Russia) 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-4
Andreas Beck (Germany) beat Evgeny Korolev (Russia) 6-3 6-4 2-6 2-6 6-4
13-Gael Monfils (France) beat Jeremy Chardy (France) 6-1 6-4 6-3

US Open women's singles second round results from New York on Thursday (prefix denotes seeding)

2-Serena Williams (USA) beat Melinda Czink (Hungary) 6-1 6-1
Vania King (US) beat 15-Samantha Stosur (Australia) 7-5 6-4
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain) beat Angelique Kerber (Germany)
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat 14-Marion Bartoli (France) 5-7 6-1 6-2
26-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Stefanie Voegele (Switzerland) 6-4 6-4
8-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Czech Republic) 6-2 6-1
Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat 12-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) 6-4 2-6 6-4
3-Venus Williams (US) beat Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US) 6-4 6-2
Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat 20-Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) 6-1 6-3
7-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) 3-6 6-1 6-1
Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Chang Kai-Chen (Taiwan) 4-6 6-2 6-2
31-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Jill Craybas (US) 7-6(6) 6-1
18-Li Na (China) beat Michelle Larcher de Brito (Portugal) 6-1 6-3
Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) beat 17-Amelie Mauresmo (France) 6-4 6-0
10-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Sania Mirza (India) 6-0 6-0

(Via AP, TVNZ, US Open website)

US Open Day 1 Wrap-up: Roger Federer, Kim Clijsters give young players tennis lesson

Kim Clijsters returned to Arthur Ashe stadium at the US Open on Monday after two-year absence from tennis.

Although she said she was a 'little more nervous than usual' she was still able to thrash Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-1, 6-1 for a first-round victory.

Roger Federer, chasing a 6th straight US Open title and 16th Grand Slam, overwhelmed American wild card Devin Britton, 6-1, 6-3, 7-5, in just 88 minutes.

Following Federer and Clijsters on the centre court was Serena Williams, who walloped fellow American Alexa Glatch 6-4 6-1.

Her sister Venus was far from impressive and barely survived the match with Vera Dushevina. Venus won 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-3.

Andy Roddick closed Monday’s opening night with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 demolition of Bjorn Phau.

Before the Americans took their places under the spotlight, I need to specifically mention the double victories of Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza who posted first-round victories on opening day of the U.S. Open to become the first man and woman from India to reach the second round of the same grand slam event.

Mirza defeated Olga Govortsova 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, and qualifier Devvarman beat Frederico Gil 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

Here's the complete results for Day 1:

US Open men's singles first round results from New York on Tuesday (Prefix denotes seeding)

5-Andy Roddick (US) beat Bjorn Phau (Germany) 6-1 6-4 6-2
15-Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) beat Simone Bolelli (Italy) 6-4 6-4 6-4
Leonardo Mayer (Argentina) beat Andrey Golubev (Kazakhstan) 6-4 4-6 7-5 6-3
Marc Gicquel (France) beat Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 6-2 5-7 6-3 6-3
Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat Oscar Hernandez (Spain) 6-4 6-4 6-2
23-Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat Andreas Seppi (Italy) 6-0 6-4 6-4
21-James Blake (US) beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (Spain) 6-1 6-4 7-5
31-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Thiago Alves (Brazil) 6-0 6-3 6-4
20-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Alejandro Falla (Colombia) 7-5 4-6 7-6(7) 6-2
Olivier Rochus (Belgium) beat Igor Kunitsyn (Russia) 6-3 6-0 6-2
Robert Kendrick (US) beat Martin Vassallo Arguello (Argentina) 6-3 6-2 6-2
Marsel Ilhan (Turkey) beat Christophe Rochus (Belgium) 3-6 6-3 3-6 7-5 7-5
Somdev Devvarman (India) beat Frederico Gil (Portugal) 6-3 6-4 6-3
14-Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Donald Young (US) 6-4 3-6 6-2 6-3
John Isner (US) beat 28-Victor Hanescu (Romania) 6-1 7-6(14) 7-6(5)
Simon Greul (Germany) beat Giovanni Lapentti (Ecuador) 6-3 4-6 3-6 6-0 7-6(9)
1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Devin Britton (US) 6-1 6-3 7-5
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Spain) beat Peter Polansky (Canada) 6-4 6-4 5-7 3-6 6-1
Jan Hernych (Czech Republic) beat Rainer Schuettler (Germany) 1-6 7-6(5) 6-4 2-6 6-3
8-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) beat Dieter Kindlmann (Germany) 6-3 6-4 7-5
12-Robin Soderling (Sweden) beat Albert Montanes (Spain) 6-1 3-6 6-1 6-4
Marcel Granollers (Spain) beat Mischa Zverev (Germany) 2-6 7-5 3-6 6-4 6-0
Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) beat 26-Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 2-6 7-5 6-0 6-2
Marco Chiudinelli (Switzerland) beat Potito Starace (Italy) 7-6(3) 7-6(2) 6-0

US Open women's singles first round results from New York on Tuesday (prefix denotes seeding)

3-Venus Williams (US) beat Vera Dushevina (Russia) 6-7(5) 7-5 6-3
18-Li Na (China) beat Raluca Olaru (Romania) 7-6(4) 6-3
Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (Spain) beat 28-Sybille Bammer (Austria) 6-4 1-6 7-6(5)
22-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.) 6-2 4-6 6-1
31-Elena Vesnina (Russia) beat Lucie Hradecka (Czech Republic) 6-4 7-6(5)
Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium) beat Jelena Dokic (Australia) 6-3 6-4
Michelle Larcher de Brito (Portugal) beat Mathilde Johansson (France) 1-6 7-5 6-1
Angelique Kerber (Germany) beat Andrea Petkovic (Germany) 6-4 5-7 6-3
Timea Bacsinszky (Switzerland) beat Vesna Manasieva (Russia) 6-3 6-4
Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) beat Yurika Sema (Japan) 4-6 6-1 6-2
Bethanie Mattek-Sands (US) beat Iveta Benesova (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-4
20-Anabel Medina Garrigues (Spain) beat Gail Brodsky (US) 6-4 6-4
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Czech Republic) beat Marta Domachowska (Poland) 2-6 6-2 6-3
Jill Craybas (US) beat Carly Gullickson (US) 6-3 7-6(5)
Sania Mirza (India) beat Olga Govortsova (Belarus) 6-2 3-6 6-3
7-Vera Zvonareva (Russia) beat Nuria Llagostera Vives (Spain) 6-0 6-4
Melinda Czink (Hungary) beat Maria Elena Camerin (Italy) 6-3 6-4
17-Amelie Mauresmo (France) beat Tatjana Malek (Germany) 6-3 6-4
Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia) beat Valerie Tetreault (Canada) 6-3 4-6 6-1
26-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Yvonne Meusburger (Austria) 6-1 6-2
Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Mariya Koryttseva (Ukraine) 6-2 6-1
Kim Clijsters (Belgium) beat Viktoriya Kutuzova (Ukraine) 6-1 6-1
8-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) beat Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania) 6-1 6-1
12-Agnieszka Radwanska (Poland) beat Patricia Mayr (Austria) 6-1 6-2
Vania King (US) beat Anastasiya Yakimova (Belarus) 2-1 (Yakimova retired)
Kai-Chen Chang (Taiwan) beat 25-Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) 6-0 2-6 6-2

(Via AP, Reuters, TVNZ, US Open website)

US Open Player Party presented by Heineken

I'm not sure if it's just me... I think this year's party at the Skyline Studios was almost as bland as James Blake's performance on court.

And none of the celebrities excite me...

James Blake and The City's star Olivia Palermo

Venus Williams... the queen of cool

Gossip Girls' star Penn Badgley

Emmy Rossum

(Images by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images North America)

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.

*******

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.

*******

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)

Miami Dolphins' deal with Williams sisters announced

Serena and Venus Williams are the first female African-Americans to hold an ownership stake in an NFL franchise.

Their ownership stake with the Miami Dolphins was officially announced earlier today.

The sisters paid their first visit to the Dolphins' complex, watched some practice, checked out the weight room and chatted with several players.

At the press conference the sisters posed for photographers holding team jerseys — no. 11 for Venus and no. 89 for Serena (EleVen is Venus' clothing line; 8-9 is the birthdate of their half sister, Yetunde Price, who died in a 2003 shooting).

(Via AP; Image via Yahoo! Sports)

TENNIS WATCH: US Open wildcards, Serena Williams can't kick shopping habit

The U.S. Open men's and womens' wildcard recipients are out.

In the men's singles main draw, wildcards go to Devin Britton, Chase Buchanan, Taylor Dent, Brendan Evans, Jesse Levine, Rajeev Ram, and Chris Guccione, with the French reciprocal wildcard still to be announced.

Qualifying wildcards go to Lester Cook, Grigor Dimitrov, Alexander Domijan, Ryan Harrison, Scoville Jenkins, Ryan Lipman, Tim Smyczek, Blake Strode, and Michael Venus.

In the womens' singles main draw, wildcards go to Gail Brodksy, Mallory Cecil, Kim Clijsters, Alexa Glatch, Vania King, Christina McHale, Kristina Mladenovic and Olivia Rogowska.

Qualifying wildcards go to Kristie Ahn, Lauren Embree, Irina Falconi, Nicole Gibbs, Asia Muhammad, Alison Riske, Laura Robson, Sloane Stephens and Coco Vandeweghe.

*******

Venus and Serena will join celebrities like Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Marc Anthony as stakeholders in the Miami Dolphins.

The Dolphins are scheduled to officially announce the William sisters investment coming this Tuesday, reports AP.

During the earlier part of her career, Serena Williams has dated two NFL players before.

(Via 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

TENNIS WATCH: The Bryan Brothers Band, Djokovic's new coach, Davis Cup, top 8 in Montreal, Clijsters' in Williams' out

From chest bumping to music recording, Bob and Mike Bryan are set to take the music world by storm with the release of their debut album "Let It Rip", with close friend and accomplished singer/songwriter David Baron on September 1, 2009.

The album will contain 5 songs that feature Bob playing the bass and keyboards, Mike on the drums, and Baron as the lead vocalist also playing piano and guitar.

More information on The Bryan Brothers Band Featuring David Baron can be found on www.bryanbrosband.com, which will be made live before their debut at Arthur Ashe Kids Day.

*******

Novak Djokovic will be training under Todd Martin after Cincinnati. Martin is the new addition to Djokovic's team, which will continue to engage with full-time coach Marian Vajda.

*******

World Group Davis Cup dates for next year are out:

World Group First round (5-7 March)
World Group Quarterfinals (9-11 July)
World Group Semifinals and World Group Play-offs (17-19 September)
World Group Final (3-5 December)

*******

For the first time, all top eight-ranked players in the world have reached the quarterfinals in Montreal.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Nikolay Davydenko have all made their way to the final eight at the Masters event.

*******

Kim Clijsters continues her winning comeback, defeating 2009 French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the Cincinnati quarterfinals.

*******

Serena Williams is ousted 7-5, 6-4 by Sybille Bammer in Cincinnati.

With Venus' loss to Flavia Pennetta earlier, both Williams sisters are out of the tournament.

Serena & Venus Williams at the 2009 ESPY Awards

Tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams paid tribute to Nelson Mandela, who received the Arthur Ashe courage award at the 17th Annual ESPY Awards today.

Mandela's daughter Zindzi and grandson Zondwa accepted the silver trophy from the Williams sisters.

(Images by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images North America)

Venus Williams promotes EA Sports’ fall lineup

Venus Williams comparing guns with Dwight Howard. I bet Serena can do better than this.

Venus Williams joined Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic), Milan Mucic (Boston Bruins) and Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA) at the annual EA Sports media event today at EA Canada in Burnaby.

The sports pros were brought up to highlight EA’s fall lineup which included NBA Live, NHL 10, FIFA 10, and Grand Slam Tennis.

“It was really cool being able to play with so many world-class athletes here,” Williams said.

“The hardest was probably basketball. I did better at hockey than I thought I would.”

There's nothing Venus can't do.

After teaching everyone how to serve on the real court, Venus showed off some virtual moves on the new Grand Slam Tennis on the Wii.

“This is a lot tougher than it looks,” Williams said.

“It’s not much fun losing to yourself.”

(Via straight.com, theprovince.com; Images by EA Sports)

Serena Williams: Cocky and every reason to be

Serena Williams won a double Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon yesterday, just like her big sister Venus did last year.

Serena added the women’s doubles title to her singles title after teaming up with Venus to beat Australians Rennae Stubbs and Samantha Stosur 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Earlier Serena defeated Venus 7-6 (3), 6-2 in singles to win her third Wimbledon title.

Serena was asked a series of questions at the press conference about being ranked number two in the world behind Dinara Safina, a player who has never won a Grand Slam.

Q. How much of a motivation is it for you to try and regain the world No. 1 ranking?

SERENA WILLIAMS: You know, I'm not super motivated. I think if you hold three Grand Slam titles maybe you should be No. 1, but not on the WTA Tour obviously, so...

You know, my motivation is maybe just to win another Grand Slam and stay No. 2, I guess (laughter).

Q. Does that disappoint you?

SERENA WILLIAMS: No. If it did, I would go crazy just thinking about it. I think anyone really could. That's just shocking. But whatever. It is what it is. I'd rather definitely be No. 2 and hold three Grand Slams in the past year than be No. 1 and not have any.

Q. Do you see yourself as No. 1?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I see myself as No. 2. That's where I am. I think Dinara did a great job to get to No. 1. She won Rome and Madrid (laughter).

Q. How satisfying is it to have played as much as you've played this year, perhaps more than other years, and here you are sitting holding three Grand Slams? It's kind of annoying for the other girls, isn't it really?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I feel like I've played a lot this year, and I've really been paying the price. For several years now, at least three or four years, I just really wanted to focus on tennis, and I've really been doing that. I feel like, you know, this is where I want to be, and this is my chance to capitalize on everything.

I really enjoy it. I even started playing more doubles because I enjoy being out on the court so much. I think it's pretty much all paying off.

Q. We all know the slams are the key events in our sport. Do you think someone somewhere should sit down and maybe tweak the ranking system a little bit so we don't have this problem?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Uhm, I mean, maybe if I'd have done better at the French Open, like got to the semifinals, maybe things would have been different. But, uhm, honestly, I'm not picking on anybody. Everyone works hard.

I think the girl, Dinara, who is No. 1, you can clearly see by her physique how hard she works. You can't get anywhere by not doing the best and not working your hardest.

So, you know, I'm happy for her. I'm really excited that I won Wimbledon, though, because, like I said, I'd rather win that than not win the Championships.

Q. With all due respect, we're just talking about the system on paper the way the computer works. Do you think that should be changed?

SERENA WILLIAMS: I don't know. I don't know what can be changed. I feel like I've had a pretty consistent year, though, you know. I haven't lost too early. I got a little injured, but I fought through it. So it's been pretty consistent reaching at least the further rounds of different events.

But I don't know what to do to be No. 1. I don't even care anymore. I'm just happy to be here.

Personally I don't understand why some people regard her statements as cocky, and even if she does, Serena has every reason to be.

Regarding about the Nike t-shirt she was wearing at the press conference, here's what Serena said.

Q. May you tell us a little bit more about that shirt. Did they prepare it before and then you choose it, or they tell you afterwards and you say you like it or I don't like it? If you had lost, was there another shirt, or that was for your sister?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, this shirt is available in Nike stores, if you guys want to go (smiling). If you want to go get one, everyone can have it. I've been wearing it a little bit this week. I thought last night when I was getting my stuff together, I thought, Well, if I win, I'll wear this 'cause I'll have 11 titles, and I wouldn't know if you guys were looking at my titles or my Gatorade bottle.

And there was ‑‑ yes, there was another shirt if I didn't win.

Q. Which would have said what?

SERENA WILLIAMS: It was just a Nike shirt.

(Images by Getty Images)