Tennis News

Following an incredible 2014 season that saw her win her fifth Grand Slam title and successfully return from shoulder surgery, world No.2 Maria Sharapova has released her entire 2015 schedule. It appears the Russian star intends to participate in the Fed Cup tournament this season as she will play the opening tie against Poland following the Australian Open.

Apart from simply returning to the professional circuit at full health after shoulder surgery – Sharapova’s only initial goal for the season – the Russian superstar was able to achieve far for during several memorable runs this year. She lifted titles in Stuttgart, Madrid, and Beijing, apart from her second French Open title, all of which boosted her to world No. 2 in the rankings.

Here is the complete list of the events:

Brisbane International
Australian Open
Fed Cup 1st Round Russia V Poland (Tie to be played in Krakow, Poland)
Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Acapulco
BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells
Miami Open, Miami
Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Stuttgart
Mutua Madrid Open, Madrid
Internazionali BNL d’Italia, Rome
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
Rogers Cup, Toronto
Western Southern Open, Cincinnati
US Open
China Open, Beijing

Australian tennis star Lleyton Hewitt is not concerned about Bernard Tomic’s professional future, as he believes the youngster is still a considerable prospect on the ATP World Tour.

Hewitt told the Melbourne Age that Tomic is a “unique player,” a “unique person” and knew he would “bounce back at some stage.”

“I’d probably say that I’m one of the closest guys that he goes to now, which is good. We practise a lot together and the next couple of years I’d like to help him out, while I’m still out there and playing. But I think once his hips and body get fully to 100 percent again, he’s still gonna cause a lot of guys trouble. Bernie will still make statements.”

Tomic had come under harsh criticism in the past for not being a hard enough worker and lacking motivation to rise in the rankings. He recently took on Xavier Malisse as his coach and has been working with him ever since.

While he does not see his training first hand, Hewitt believes it is certainly an area that Tomic can improve in.

“It’s hard to say, because I don’t see him on the practice court, I don’t see what he does in the gym, and he hasn’t been at the last two Davis Cup ties for me to see him close-up, either, but that’s one area that he can definitely get better.”

Currently ranked at world No. 56, Tomic took part in a turbulent season in 2014. After finishing runner-up in Syndey, Tomic underwent double hip surgery and didn’t return to the tour for several months. Following a rough start to his comeback, the Australian won his second title on the tour when he was ranked at No. 124.

World No. 3 Rafael Nadal’s longtime coach and uncle Toni Nadal has always been known for his quoteworthy remarks and his recent comments regarding the longtime debate about the Greatest of All Time was no different.

During a recent radio interview, Toni explained why he considered Roger Federer’s accolades to be a sign that the Swiss star is better than his nephew.

“I do not know. The truth is that Federer’s game is not doing bad at all to Rafael. Anyway, one is the best by winning titles. Federer has won 17 Grand Slam titles, Rafael has won 14. He has been number one, I think five years, Rafael has been three. So there is no argument, he is the best,” said Toni Nadal.

Toni added to his surprising comments by saying that Nadal may not even be as good as world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

“He’s a great player, for me is a player almost up to Federer. It’s great, do not know if it’s better or worse than Rafael. For titles, Rafael is better than him. What game do not know, but in the end, everyone who believes what he wants. It is perfectly right.”

While his comments may appear harsh, Nadal’s injury plagued career has always been under scrutiny for that very reason. It begs one to consider what the Spaniard may have accomplished had he not undergone various back and knee injuries during his peak years. When this is juxtaposed against Federer’s remarkable injury-free career-run, where he has competed in his 60th consecutive Grand Slam tournament, it becomes a believable concern.

Following an entertaining weekend of action in Manila, the International Premier Tennis League’s inaugural event has officially come to a conclusion. The team format for the exhibition event saw the likes of Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, Gael Monfils, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic, Marin Cilic and even legends such as Goran Ivanisevic, Fabrice Santoro and Mark Philippoussis compete in front of a packed house in Singapore.

Here are the final results for the inaugural edition of the IPTL:

Match Result: Micromax Indian Aces beat DBS Singapore Slammers 26-16

Match Result: UAE Royals beat Manila Mavericks 29-24. 

 Match Result: UAE Royals beat Singapore Slammers 28-22

Match Result: Micromax Indian Aces beat Manila Mavericks 24-15. 

Match Result: Micromax Indian Aces beat UAE Royals 28-20. 

Match Result: Manila Mavericks beat Singapore Slammers 27-19. 

Following his plague of injuries throughout the season, Rafael Nadal hopes that his 2015 will far exceed the painful last few months.

While he does not doubt that he will regain top form in time for the forthcoming year, he doubts that he will be able to recreate the “magical” 2013 season. In that year, Nadal compiled a 75-7 record on the tour and won 10 titles, including two Grand Slams and five Masters 1000 titles.

“No, 2013 is magical and unforgettable. 2013 does not return,” he said in an interview with DPA . “I have two more years. I have to try again compete all I need to be at the top.

Nadal was diagnosed with appendicitis during the Shanghai Rolex Masters in September and did not end his 2014 season until a quarter-final loss to 17-year-old Borna Coric in Basel. He eventually withdrew from the Paris Bercy and the ATP World Tour Finals and underwent successful surgery to rectify the problem. He also had his knees checked and underwent stem cell therapy.

“This year I had back problems at first, then wrist, then appendicitis. Many things have happened that have allowed me not having the necessary pace to be competitive in every month of the year. The goal next year is that this does not happen.”

The world No. 3 is expected to return from the sidelines at the Mubadala World Tennis Championships in December. He was scheduled to take part in the International Premier Tennis League but withdrew from the event to allow his body time to recover.

Following a nine-month absence from professional competition due to a wrist injury, Juan Martin del Potro announced that he would return to professional competition at the Brisbane International in January.

Del Potro, who is currently ranked No. 138 but will use a protected ranking of 7 in 2015, is continuing his training both on and off the court in Argentina.

“To have eight Grand Slam champions, five of the world’s top 11 men – as well as Juan Martin del Potro with an injury protected ranking of No.7 – and four of the top 10 women commit to Brisbane is a fantastic result, and certainly highlights the players’ regard for the tournament,” said tournament director Cameron Pearson.

The Argentine, who currently sits at No. 138 in the rankings, has not played a match since February. He managed to win the Apia international in Sydney at the start of the season, then struggled from then on and eventually opted for surgery after failed bids in Rotterdam and Dubai.

Del Potro has since recovered and begun his pre-season training. The former Grand Slam champion keeps his fans up-to-date with constant Facebook posts.

The tournament begins at the Queensland Tennis Centre on Sunday 4 January.

Former British No. 1 Laura Robson appears to be nearing her official comeback to the WTA tour, even though she is yet to commit to a single event in 2015.

The 2013 Most Improved Player was forced onto the sidelines in January with a left wrist injury and watched her hard work and ranking deteriorate whilst other competitors rose to prominence over the year.

Robson reached a career-high of No. 27 on the tour and reached the fourth round of Wimbledon Championships, as well as the third rounds of the Australian Open the French Open and the U.S. Open.

Since she parted ways with coach Miles Maclagan in the fall of 2013 and having Nick Saviano snatched full time by Bouchard, Robson has been working with coach Mauricio Hadad, and plans to continue working with him for the foreseeable future. He previously worked with Heather Watson and works for Nick Bolletteri in Florida.

There have been whispers that Robson will return to the tour in January, a full 12 months since her last appearance on the tour. While she has not confirmed when she will be fit to return, there is a chance she may use her protected ranking to get into the Australian Open. If not, she may accept a wildcard entry in the ASB Classic.

Following his impressive season on the tour and historic culmination of the Davis Cup, 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is not ready to put 2014 to bed. Apart from spearheading the new International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) next month in India, Federer has signed on to help launch a new tennis format in his upcoming exhibition match against Lleyton Hewitt.

The new fast format, which Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley caims will “revolutionize the game of tennis,” is an Australian-developed system and features a few variations from the traditional style of playing. In the new system, there are no lets, no advantage scoring, a tiebreak at 3-all, and the winner of the set is the first to reach four games.

Federer and Hewitt will test the new format in January in Sydney.

“I can’t wait to come to the beautiful city of Sydney for this very special match against my old friend and rival, Lleyton Hewitt,” Federer said in a statement on Tennis Australia’s website. “We’ve had some amazing battles over the years and I think we still bring out the best in each other every time we play.”

The last time the two competitors faced each other was in the final of the Brisbane International at the start of the season, where Hewitt beat his longtime rival in three sets.

“Playing Roger in this new format will be an exciting challenge for both of us and a lot of fun,” said Hewitt. “It’s a fantastic innovation for tennis, and one that I hope will take off.”

The exhibition is scheduled to take place on Jan. 12, 2015.

Andy Murray announced some major changes to his coaching staff, as he will no longer be working with long-time hitting partner Dani Vallverdu and fitness trainer Jez Green.

Both men played a pivotal part in Murray’s team; Vallverdu joined with Murray in 2010 and remained a part of the team while Muray worked with Ivan Lendl. Green spearheaded Murray’s transformation to one of the fittest and healthiest players on the tour with his infamous training methods.

“We sat down at the end of the season and decided that a change would be best for all of us,” Murray said in a statement. “My off season training and Australian Open preparations have already begun and I am very excited for the new year. I thank Jez and Dani for all their hard work over the years and wish them the best for the future.’

Several weeks ago, it was reported that Murray’s coaching staff, mainly Vallverdu and Green were both unhappy about Mauresmo’s sudden appointment and the lack of input they provided in the decision. The news that they have both left the team can be seen as a reaffirmation of Murray’s commitment to his new coach.

Murray will begin his 2015 season at the Hopman Cup, where he will team up with Heather Watson to represent Great Britain. He will then head to Auckland before preparation for the Australian Open.