WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Wimbledon will be the richest Grand Slam in history, with both the female and male champion earning $1.4 million.
The only Grand Slam tournament on grass will offer total prize money of $22,572,011, an increase of 8.7 percent, organizers said Tuesday. The increase reflects the recent change to pay women the same as men from the first round to the final for the first time since Wimbledon began offering prize money in 1968. The pay equity was announced on Feb. 22.
"No tennis tournament has ever offered higher prize money than Wimbledon in 2007," All England Club chairman Tim Phillips said.
Last year, Wimbledon champion Roger Federer earned $1.17 million while Amelie Mauresmo took home $1.11 million.
At this year's Australian Open, Federer and Serena Williams each earned $1.05 million. The French Open will award champions $1.36 million.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Nadal and Canas set for mouthwatering final
Rafael Nadal, the world's dominant player on clay, and Guillermo Canas, the comeback king of the men's tour, will meet on Sunday in a mouth-watering final at the Barcelona Open.
Nadal, who beat David Ferrer 7-5 6-1 in his semi-final, has won a record 71 consecutive matches on clay stretching back to April 2005 when he lost to Russian Igor Andreev in Valencia.
Argentine Canas outlasted his compatriot Agustin Calleri 7-6 6-7 6-2 to reach his third final of a year in which his ranking has risen from 142 to 28, including back-to-back wins over world number one Roger Federer in Indian Wells and Miami last month.
World number two Nadal struggled for his usual consistency in swirling winds. At 5-4 and 30-30 on Nadal's serve, Ferrer was just two points away from the first set but Nadal held on and then broke in the 11th game before serving out for the set.
After that, though fifth seed Ferrer continued to battle, Nadal was always in control and he broke three times in the second set to claim his place in the final.
Canas took almost three hours to get the better of Calleri needed treatment for cramp in his right forearm, which affected his grip on the forehand.
He should have wrapped up the match in two sets but double-faulted on his second match point and went into a third, but in the end his greater resilience, consistency and fitness wore Calleri down.
Nadal, who beat David Ferrer 7-5 6-1 in his semi-final, has won a record 71 consecutive matches on clay stretching back to April 2005 when he lost to Russian Igor Andreev in Valencia.
Argentine Canas outlasted his compatriot Agustin Calleri 7-6 6-7 6-2 to reach his third final of a year in which his ranking has risen from 142 to 28, including back-to-back wins over world number one Roger Federer in Indian Wells and Miami last month.
World number two Nadal struggled for his usual consistency in swirling winds. At 5-4 and 30-30 on Nadal's serve, Ferrer was just two points away from the first set but Nadal held on and then broke in the 11th game before serving out for the set.
After that, though fifth seed Ferrer continued to battle, Nadal was always in control and he broke three times in the second set to claim his place in the final.
Canas took almost three hours to get the better of Calleri needed treatment for cramp in his right forearm, which affected his grip on the forehand.
He should have wrapped up the match in two sets but double-faulted on his second match point and went into a third, but in the end his greater resilience, consistency and fitness wore Calleri down.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Blake, Roddick roll as US seizes 2-0 Davis Cup lead
Andy Roddick and James Blake both swept through in straight sets to give the United States a 2-0 lead over Davis Cup World Group quarter-final rivals Spain on Friday.
Blake began with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tommy Robredo while Roddick recovered from 5-2 down in the first set to defeat Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 6-4 in the international indoor hardcourt contest.
Roddick played at full strength after quitting a quarter-final last week in Miami with a hamstring problem.
But, like Blake, he found himself in a struggle to close it out as Verdasco saved five match points before finally sending a return out after just over two hours.
"It felt like 12 (hours)," said a relieved Roddick, who won his 23rd Davis Cup singles match. "I wasn't counting, but I really wanted to get off that court a winner.
"I had to swallow my nerves to get it done," said Roddick, who was out-aced 14-12 by Verdasco, ranked 35th.
Coach Patrick McEnroe praised his team, which has taken a a 2-0 lead for the first time in seven ties.
"James got us off to a great start and Andy showed that he's fit after battling his hamstring injury for a week," said the captain. "It's great to be up 2-0 for a change.
"But we still that that one final point."
Blake, ninth in the world, was coming off a desperate run of form last month on home hardcourts, winning only one match at two events at Indian Wells and Miami.
Blake began with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Tommy Robredo while Roddick recovered from 5-2 down in the first set to defeat Fernando Verdasco 7-6 (7/5), 6-1, 6-4 in the international indoor hardcourt contest.
Roddick played at full strength after quitting a quarter-final last week in Miami with a hamstring problem.
But, like Blake, he found himself in a struggle to close it out as Verdasco saved five match points before finally sending a return out after just over two hours.
"It felt like 12 (hours)," said a relieved Roddick, who won his 23rd Davis Cup singles match. "I wasn't counting, but I really wanted to get off that court a winner.
"I had to swallow my nerves to get it done," said Roddick, who was out-aced 14-12 by Verdasco, ranked 35th.
Coach Patrick McEnroe praised his team, which has taken a a 2-0 lead for the first time in seven ties.
"James got us off to a great start and Andy showed that he's fit after battling his hamstring injury for a week," said the captain. "It's great to be up 2-0 for a change.
"But we still that that one final point."
Blake, ninth in the world, was coming off a desperate run of form last month on home hardcourts, winning only one match at two events at Indian Wells and Miami.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Nadal graciously accepts No. 2 ranking
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) -- Rafael Nadal has no trouble accepting his No. 2 ranking behind Roger Federer.
"Right now, Roger's not my competition. Roger is the best in history, so my goal is continuing winning tournaments and continuing being (high) in the ranking," Nadal said Sunday after his victory in the Pacific Life Open.
"I think if I play like this, I can win another major."
The 20-year-old Spaniard defeated Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-5 Sunday to end what was -- for him -- a long winless streak. The championship was his first since he successfully defended his French Open title last June.
"It was a very great week for me, a very, very important week," Nadal said. "I have (gone) eight months without any title, but I came back with a big one."
Sunday, February 18, 2007
U.S., Roddick bounce Czechs from Davis Cup
Andy Roddick kicked the red powder off his shoes one last time Sunday, happy to be done with clay and ready to return to the hardcourts back home for the Davis Cup quarterfinals.
Roddick beat Tomas Berdych 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4) Sunday to lead the United States to a 4-1 victory over the Czech Republic in the first round of the World Group.
"As far as the weight of the situation goes," Roddick said, "It definitely could be one of my best matches on clay."
The victory gave the Americans an insurmountable lead in the best-of-five format, and Roddick ran his record to 8-0 in Davis Cup matches with victory on the line. In the final match, which had no bearing on the outcome, Bob Bryan beat Lukas Dlouhy 7-6 (5), 6-4.
The United States will next play Spain in Winston-Salem, N.C., in April. It will be a rematch of the 2004 final in Seville, when the Spanish hosts beat the Americans on clay spread so thick it took any sting out of the U.S. game.
"It was similar to a sandbox," Roddick recalled.
Roddick beat Tomas Berdych 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (4) Sunday to lead the United States to a 4-1 victory over the Czech Republic in the first round of the World Group.
"As far as the weight of the situation goes," Roddick said, "It definitely could be one of my best matches on clay."
The victory gave the Americans an insurmountable lead in the best-of-five format, and Roddick ran his record to 8-0 in Davis Cup matches with victory on the line. In the final match, which had no bearing on the outcome, Bob Bryan beat Lukas Dlouhy 7-6 (5), 6-4.
The United States will next play Spain in Winston-Salem, N.C., in April. It will be a rematch of the 2004 final in Seville, when the Spanish hosts beat the Americans on clay spread so thick it took any sting out of the U.S. game.
"It was similar to a sandbox," Roddick recalled.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Djokovic tips Federer to stay top for years
Serbian prodigy Novak Djokovic has tipped world number one Roger Federer to reign the men's ATP tour for a long time and easily retain his Australian Open title in Sunday's final against Chile's Fernando Gonzalez.
"I can't see Gonzalez winning the match although I am sure he will fight hard to give Federer a good run for his money," world number 13 Djokovic told a news conference in Belgrade on Saturday upon his return from Melbourne.
"Federer is virtually invincible and I think he will rule men's tennis for years to come, it will take a monumental effort to depose him," said Djokovic, who was brushed aside by the defending champion in straight sets in the fourth round.
"I think I would have stood a decent chance of progressing to the latter stages of the tournament if I had been drawn against anyone else.
"Federer is too strong and too quick for everyone, he has mastered every shot in tennis to perfection. We have to remind ourselves when we play against him that he too is only human."
"I can't see Gonzalez winning the match although I am sure he will fight hard to give Federer a good run for his money," world number 13 Djokovic told a news conference in Belgrade on Saturday upon his return from Melbourne.
"Federer is virtually invincible and I think he will rule men's tennis for years to come, it will take a monumental effort to depose him," said Djokovic, who was brushed aside by the defending champion in straight sets in the fourth round.
"I think I would have stood a decent chance of progressing to the latter stages of the tournament if I had been drawn against anyone else.
"Federer is too strong and too quick for everyone, he has mastered every shot in tennis to perfection. We have to remind ourselves when we play against him that he too is only human."
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Venus Williams withdraws from Australian Open
Venus Williams withdrew from the Australian Open on Wednesday because of an aggravated left wrist injury.
She joins top-ranked Justine Henin-Hardenne on the sideline for the first Grand Slam of the season.
Williams told organizers she aggravated the wrist, which kept her from playing in the Hopman Cup mixed teams competition in Perth last week.
Williams had an injury-plagued 2006, playing only two matches after Wimbledon and finishing the year at No. 48 in the rankings.
No. 3-ranked Davydenko fined for negative comments on Sydney tournament
No. 3-ranked Nikolay Davydenko was fined $10,000 for comments he made about the Sydney International tennis tournament after retiring from his first-round match with a foot problem.
After retiring from his match on Wednesday, Davydenko described the Sydney International as "small tournament" that "nobody cares about."
ATP chairman Etienne De Villiers said in a statement that he felt the fine was appropriate for "the comments that were made that not only damaged the very fine tournament in Sydney but also sullies the reputation of our great sport."
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