Latest Articles by AP

  • Clijsters defeats Venus in farewell match

    AP | Wednesday, December 12, 2012

    ANTWERP, Belgium -- Former No. 1 Kim Clijsters ended her career with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Venus Williams in a ceremonial farewell match in Belgium.

    Clijsters retired after the U.S. Open but organized a match to thank her fans, 13,000 of whom turned up at Antwerp Sports Palace, including Crown Prince Phillipe and Princess Mathilde.

  • Nadal confirms return in December Abu Dhabi exo

    AP | Tuesday, December 11, 2012

    MADRID -- Rafael Nadal has confirmed he is ready to return to competitive tennis at the end of the month in an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi, following a six-month break to recover from a knee injury.

    The 11-time Grand Slam champion said on his Facebook page Tuesday that he "can't wait to get back on court in Abu Dhabi," and that he "would love to get my hands on the trophy again this year!"

    The 26-year-old Nadal began practicing on a court in his hometown of Manacor on the Balearic island of Mallorca on Nov. 20 under the supervision of his uncle and coach Tony Nadal and a physiotherapist.

    The Abu Dhabi tournament starts Dec. 27 and will feature a six-man field that also includes top-ranked Novak Djokovic and No. 3 Andy Murray of Britain.

  • Serena, Djokovic named ITF world champions

    AP | Tuesday, December 11, 2012

    LONDON -- Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams were honored Tuesday as the International Tennis Federation's world champions for 2012.

    Djokovic won the men's award for the second straight year, while Williams took the honor for the third time in her career.

    Djokovic won the Australian Open and was runner-up at the French Open and U.S. Open. He finished the season No. 1 in the ATP rankings with six tour titles.

  • Willerton new head of Tennis Integrity Unit

    AP | Monday, December 10, 2012

    LONDON -- Jeff Rees is retiring after more than four years in charge of tennis' anti-corruption group, and former police officer Nigel Willerton will replace him on Jan. 1.

    The Tennis Integrity Unit announced the changes Monday.

    Rees was hired as Director of Integrity in August 2008 after helping review possible match-fixing in professional tennis.

  • Third-set tiebreakers, no bronze match for Rio Games?

    AP | Friday, December 07, 2012

    ROME (AP) -- Tennis officials are considering adding third-set tiebreakers at the 2016 Rio Olympics after marathon matches in London this year.

    Also, bronze-medal matches could be eliminated to lighten the loads of players entered in multiple events.

    ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti tells The Associated Press at the European Olympic Committees meeting in Rome that the matches this year were ``very balanced and very long and that ruins the scheduling somewhat.''

  • Federer to play less, but hopes to play in 2016 Olympics

    AP | Thursday, December 06, 2012

    SAO PAULO -- Roger Federer says he won't play as often in the next few years but wants to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

  • Chela, 33, announces retirement on Twitter

    AP | Monday, December 03, 2012

    BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Juan Ignacio Chela says he is retiring from professional tennis, leaving with six ATP singles titles and three in doubles -- all on clay.

    The 33-year-old Argentine has been hinting at retirement for weeks, and he announced it Monday on his Twitter account.

  • Almagro tops Roddick in Miami Tennis Cup final

    AP | Monday, December 03, 2012

    KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Nicolas Almagro of Spain beat Andy Roddick 6-4, 7-5 in the Miami Tennis Cup exhibition final on Sunday.

    Roddick, who retired at the U.S. Open, was broken once in each set. He dropped the ninth game of the first set at 30-40 on a netted backhand. Roddick saved a break point in the ninth game of the second set but had no answer for an Almagro forehand crosscourt passing shot at 30-40 in the 11th game.

    Almagro lost both times he played Roddick in tour matches. One of those losses came here in Key Biscayne in the 2010 Sony Open quarterfinals.

  • Retired Roddick defeats Murray in Miami Cup exo

    AP | Sunday, December 02, 2012

    KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- Recently retired Andy Roddick beat third-ranked Andy Murray 6-2, 6-3 on Saturday in the Miami Tennis Cup exhibition event.

    Roddick will play 11th-ranked Nicolas Almagro of Spain in the final Sunday. Almagro advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over 14th-ranked John Isner.

  • Isner tops recently retired Ferrero in Miami exo

    AP | Saturday, December 01, 2012

    KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. -- John Isner beat recently retired Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-6 (2), 6-3 on Friday night in the six-player Miami Tennis Cup exhibition event.

    Isner won seven straight points in the first-set tiebreaker after dropping the first two.