Anna Kournikova to launch Showdown of Champions Kuala Lumpur

It's confirmed! Anna Kournikova will arrive in Kuala Lumpur to launch the yearly tennis exhibition 'Showdown of Champions 2009' this coming Monday.

Unfortunately, the organisers decided to keep Kournikova for themselves.

No invitation was given to HCFoo's Tennis Blog and sadly there's also no meet-the-fans session although they knew a lot of local fans would die to meet the tennis babe.

However, thanks to my involvement in politics years ago, I managed to sneak in and get some info regarding the launching by the Tourism Minister Dato' Dr. Ng Yen Yen and Kournikova.

WHO: Anna Kournikova
WHAT: Showdown of Champion 2009 Launch
WHEN: Monday, Oct. 26, 2009 (10.15 AM)
WHERE: Café Stelle (2nd floor) Couture Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur

Hope you can catch a glimpse of Kournikova!

To junior players, please contact your coach or Selvarajoo as Kournikova will be meeting you guys at the National Tennis Centre at 3 PM on the same day.

Do prepare some questions for her. Kournikova is very generous in answering questions especially from fans (as you can see from her website)

(Image via Anna Kournikova official website)

Caroline Wozniacki under scrutiny after match-throwing controversy

Caroline Wozniacki and her father Piotr denied the speculation that the 19-year-old threw her first round match at the Luxembourg Open earlier this week against local player Anne Kremer.

Wozniacki was leading 7-5, 5-0 before quitting the match due to injury, causing tennis authorities to investigate the event.

Who in their right mind would do that? So, I'm not shocked by the allegation.

Viewers watching online streaming were said to be able to hear Piotr tell her daughter to quit at 3-0 in the second set in order to save herself from further injury.

This sparked a series of bets on her opponent who was already on the verge of losing.

Piotr defended his 'innocent intentions".

"I went onto the court and said to her, 'Caro, it does not matter whether it's going to be 5-0, 4-1 or 3-2. You can not play the next round, so you shouldn't take the risk,"' he explained to Danish radio.

"I'm very proud of Caroline, because she stopped the fight and gave her opponent a chance."

Last year, tennis governing bodies created a Tennis Integrity Unit in an effort to combat gambling and match-fixing in the sport.

"We're just looking into everything that happened in this match," WTA spokesman Neil Robinson said, adding that he believed the information would go to the integrity unit.

Wozniacki immediately dismissed suggestions that the result was rigged.

"So, people bet on my matches. Some win, others lose. I just know that I am clean. It is most important to me," Wozniacki said.

"And if anyone is in doubt about my injury, I can both produce scan from the hospital and a report from the tournament physiotherapist."

Despite her injury, Wozniacki has confirmed her participation in the season-ending WTA Tour Championship in Doha next week.

On the lighter side of Wozniacki, I would prefer her being watched this way than by the tennis authorities. Check out the video.

(Via Sky Sports)

Rafael Nadal honoured in Barcelona

Rafael Nadal was in Barcelona yesterday to receive a full size replica of the ‘Conde de Godo’ trophy at the Barcelona Royal Tennis Club.

Being the only player to have won the tournament five times, Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899, decided to honour Nadal with a full size replica of the giant trophy.

The Spaniard is set to play at the Paris Masters early November, before the London World Tour Finals and a Davis Cup final in Barcelona against the Czech Republic from December 4-6.

(Images via Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images)

Roger Federer's not done yet

Roger Federer brushed off the rumour saying that he'll extended his break all the way into the New Year.

He wrote this on Facebook yesterday.

"I have been back practicing and training now for some time and all is going well. I feel much better. I am looking forward to playing my hometown tournament in Basel . I have also had a chance to spend some amazing time with my family. Myla and Charlene are doing great. After training yesterday, Mirka and I took them for a walk along Lake Zurich. I am always excited to be back in Switzerland!"

Federer will be playing on his home soil in Basel again to defend his Davidoff Swiss Indoors title which he has won from 2006 to 2008.