Seeds are in short supply in Dubai on the first day, but Sloane Stephens and Venus Williams provide a little flash and dash.
Also – Genie Bouchard loses her final-round qualifying match.
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Bouchard loses in final round Dubai qualifying
Canada’s Genie Bouchard won two matches in the qualifying in Dubai, but couldn’t win the final one she needed to make the main draw Monday.
Bouchard dropped a 6-1, 6-4 decision to up-and-coming German Annika Beck.
ATP Tour: Feb. 17, 2014 final results
Another week where the ATP talent pool is divided into three, always a risky proposition.
But hey, Rio has Rafa. Djokovic, Fed, Wawrinka, Murray and del Potro are had by no one.
Oz ’14: Maria Sharapova pics
Everyone’s favorite Maria on the practice court with coach Sven Groeneveld at the Australian Open on Jan. 12, 2014
Monsieur Chardy charms the WTA (pics)
Sometimes, at the top of the hour when there players change on the practice courts, the transfer goes by with barely an acknowledgement.
But then, not everyone is the handsome, charming Frenchman Jérémy Chardy
More Oz ’14 pics: Jan. 12
Trying to clean out the laptop of pics from the Oz Open, impossible down there due to Betsy the Macbook being as slow as my grandma chasing down a dropshot.
Here are some from Jan. 12.
WTA rankings: as of Feb. 17, 2014
Li Na’s effort in Doha, even though she didn’t win, and Victoria Azarenka’s absence combined to lift the Australian Open champion to No. 2 – a career high just a week shy of her 32nd birthday.
A 250 tourney director’s opinion
To start, let’s just say that not all 250-level ATP Tour events are created equal.
There’s Marseille, where the tournament director says fans have gotten used to top-10 players. Then there is … Memphis. And others.
ATP Tour: Feb. 16 final results
The Buenos Aires semis turned out just fine, despite the absence of Rafael Nadal and even though attendance has been a struggle. Of the three tournaments this week, in fact, it probably suffered the least carnage; the top two seeds made it to the final.
WTA Tour: Feb. 16 final results
No. 6 vs. No. 7 at a Premier tournament final isn’t supposed to happen. But it did.
Genie Bouchard in action in Dubai qualifying.
Bouchard survives 1st round of Dubai qualies
Genie Bouchard got back on the winning track Saturday in Dubai.
She defeated her Australian Open doubles partner, Vera Dushevina of Russia, 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 in the first round of qualifying.
Canucks on Tour: Feb. 10-16 (final)
Sharon Fichman is the only Canadian still alive this week (Genie Bouchard’s Dubai effort, technically, is next week).
She’s in the Midland doubles final. Gabriela Dabrowski lost a total heartbreaker today in California. Continue reading