Filippo Volandri: 3-month doping ban lifted, will sue ITF

Italian hottie Filippo Volandri’s 3-month ban for using an asthma drug has been lifted after he appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Switzerland-based court also ruled that Volandri will be restored the ATP points and earnings he lost, the Italian tennis federation said yesterday.

The only punishment that will remain will be the elimination of Volandri’s points and earnings at a tournament a year ago in Indian Wells, Calif., where he lost in the first round and failed a doping test.

Volandri was suspended by the International Tennis Federation on the eve of the Australian Open in January. The ban was due to expire on April 14.

“The nightmare is over,” Volandri said.

“CAS recognized my good faith. I used the drug only for therapeutic needs and the ban was excessive.”

Volandri claimed he had a severe asthma attack the night before his match in Indian Wells and was forced to take more of the drug, salbutamol, than the allowed amount.

“Finally I can start playing again,” he said.

“I didn’t skip one day of training.”

Volandri indicated he will sue the ITF.

“Someone made a mistake and will pay for it,” he said.

Under the initial ruling by the ITF, all of Volandri’s results from March 13 onward were voided, including about $166,000 in prize money won and ATP points gained over a nine-month period.

Volandri said he would ask the ATP to restore his ranking and that he would aim to play in the French Open.

“It should just be a formality,” Volandri said.

“If not, I’ll roll my sleeves up and start over with the smaller tournaments."

He's already planning to play in Monza next week.

(Via AP, Image via Filippo Volandri's official website)

Winners of 2008 ATP World Tour & Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player Awards

While Ana Ivanovic is still not done with the "kickoff" party last night (clue: look for a tennis ball), let's take a good look at the nice rundown of winners of the 2008 ATP World Tour and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player Awards.

2008 ATP World Tour Player Awards
Player Of The Year - Rafael Nadal
Doubles Team Of The Year - Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic
Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Of The Year - James Blake
Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award - Roger Federer
Most Improved - Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Newcomer of the Year - Kei Nishikori
Comeback Player of the Year - Rainer Schuettler
ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favorite (Singles) - Roger Federer
ATPWorldTour.com Fans’ Favorite (Doubles) - Bob & Mike Bryan
Ron Bookman Media Excellence Award - Alan Trengove

2008 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player Awards
Player of the Year - Serena Williams
Doubles Team of the Year - Cara Black and Liezel Huber
Most Improved Player - Dinara Safina
Comeback Player of the Year - Zheng Jie
Newcomer of the Year - Caroline Wozniacki
Humanitarian of the Year - Ana Ivanovic
Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award - Elena Dementieva
Player Service Award - Liezel Huber
Favorite Premier Tournament - Porsche Tennis Grand Prix (Stuttgart)
Favorite International Tournament - Commonwealth Bank Tennis Classic (Bali)

(Images by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Tennis chicks at Sony Ericsson Open Kickoff Party

This is the continuous from the previous post here.

Check out the girls on the red carpet at the kickoff party, at the Fountainbleu Hotel in club LIV prior to the 2009 Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Florida.

Fyi, I've filtered out the bad ones and leave the hot ones here ;)

Dominika Cibulkova is like the Eva Longoria of tennis. Looking at her picture here, I can't help but imagine her in a sexy nurse outfit.

Agnieszka Radwanska maybe out of the WTA top 10 in the latest but she's in my top 5 favourite WTA ladies.

Dark-haired Russian hottie Anastasia Pivovarova is chic and glam in that green dress.

Caroline Wozniacki injects some cuteness on the red carpet.

Double thumbs up from Nole!

(Images by Marc Serota/Getty Images for Sony Ericsson)

It's official! Kim Clijsters returns to WTA

Kim Clijsters announces her return to professional tennis at a press conference at the De Boneput tennis centre, in Bree, northern Belgium today.

After two years in retirement, Clijsters said she has regained the competitive hunger that led to the No. 1 ranking.

“I still have that craving,” the 25-year-old Belgian said.

"I look forward to the challenge.”

Clijsters retired in May 2007 to get married and start a family with hubby American basketball player Brian Lynch.

Earlier this week she asked for a wild card into the 2009 U.S. Open, along with WTA hard-court tournaments in Cincinnati and Toronto earlier in August.

The U.S. Tennis Association confirmed setting aside a spot in the main draw for Clijsters.

“I want to be back at my peak as soon as possible, but I know that is not logical to ask that,” Clijsters said.

“I will have to take it match by match.”

However, Clijsters refused to commit herself beyond the U.S. Open.

(Via AP; Image by Yorick Jansens-Michel Krakowsk/AFP/Getty Images)