Meet Fernando Gonzalez at Starbucks KLCC

Starbucks Coffee, a partner of the PROTON Malaysian Open Tennis will host a “Meet the Fans Session” with Fernando Gonzalez on next Monday.

WHO: 2009 US Open Quarterfinalist, Fernando Gonzalez

WHAT: Meet the Fans Session

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 28, 2009 (6:00 pm)

WHERE: Starbucks, KLCC (ground floor), Kuala Lumpur

Not only that you'll have a chance to meet the tennis star and get his autograph, Starbucks will also pick a receipt from a lucky customer in the lucky draw contest and the winner will receive an autographed (should be Babolat) tennis racquet!

Here's how you can participate: Customers write their name and I.C. on their Starbucks receipt for beverage or food purchased throughout the day from 9 am to 5.45 pm on 28 September 2009 and drop it in the lucky draw box at Starbucks KLCC (ground floor).

Winning customer has to be present during the event to receive their prize.

Hope to see you there 'cause I'm not going to miss this!

For the latest on court and off court updates, follow me at: http://twitter.com/hcfoo

(Via Starbucks Malaysia facebook page)

Marcos Baghdatis, Taylor Dent wild cards recipients for PROTON Malaysian Open

Marcos Baghdatis and Taylor Dent, ranked outside the top 100, have been given wild cards into the PROTON Malaysian Open main draw.

Marcos Baghdatis

Taylor Dent

According to the tournament director, Nick Freyer, the third and final wild card will be decided in the next few days.

If this article published in the Malay Mail is true, the wild card could go to Malaysian player, Si Yew Ming.

However, based information that I've gathered at press conferences, Yew Ming would probably get a wild card to play in the qualifying rounds, which I think is fair and fine.

There's also a considerable buzz on the Internet that a particular player has accepted the third wild card, but I won't mention his name here. I'll just leave it to the tournament director to announce it later this week.

The tournament will kick off this weekend from Sept 26 to Oct 4 and will see a strong line-up of marquee players including Nikolay Davydenko, Fernando Verdasco, Lleyton Hewitt, Robin Soderling, Fernando Gonzalez, Gael Monfils, Tomas Berdych, and David Ferrer.

For the latest on court and off court updates, follow me at: http://twitter.com/hcfoo

(Via Bernama)

Federer inspires Henin's comeback... not Clijsters (maybe subconsciously)

"Maybe subconsciously Kim's return influenced me... but it wasn't the determinant factor. Roger Federer's victory at Roland Garros spoke to me much more because it made me think of a lot of things in relation to Wimbledon."
~ Justine Henin on her comeback

Henin added that for the first time she felt that Wimbledon was missing from her list of trophies and winning the Wimbledon title would be a dream.

She was interviewed on Belgian TV station RTL-TVI yesterday after much speculation about her return to professional tennis.

Henin drove off after the TV appearance

(Via sportinglife.com; Images via sports.sina.com.cn)

TENNIS WATCH: Justine Henin confirms return to tennis

• Former world no.1 Justine Henin confirmed her return to professional tennis on Belgian TV station RTL-TVI yesterday. She is expected to return in January in Australia. [More]

• Beilgium media Le Soir reported that Telecom company Belgacom will be one of Henin's sponsors in her comeback.

• L'Equipe reported that Richard Gasquet is looking for a new coach in his preparation for next year. French great Yannick Noah has advised Gasquet to pick a foreign coach who speaks French and specifically named Brad Stein, the former coach of Jim Courier and Sebastien Grosjean.
  

• Andy Murray's camp confirmed that the Scot suffered "no long-term damage" to his wrist following his Davis Cup injury. Murray plans to be back on tour soon for the Japan Open.

• 2009 US Open junior champ Bernard Tomic has left the Bollettieri tennis academy and will be based in Australia again.

(Via Yahoo! Sports, tennis.com)