An older and happier Kim Clijsters is in sparkling form and she hopes to continue the same when she heads into Australian Open as one of the hot favorites for the women’s crown.

Clijsters had a stunning return to tennis in 2009 after the birth of daughter Jada. In her fourth tournament back, she won the US Open, suffered a setback in Melbourne last year when she crashed out in the third round. In 2010, the 27-year-old Belgian was also one of the favorites, but she suffered a humiliating 6-0, 6-1 loss to Nadia Petrova, bewildering herself and her fans, after cruising through the first two rounds.

Clijsters, who went on to win five tournaments in 2010, including her third US Open. The wins made the Australian Open disaster only a temporary setback for the popular Clijsters. She is now ready to make amends for last year.

To move into the final of the Medibank International, Kim Clijsters dodged an upset bullet as the Belgian finally held off Russia Alisa Kleybanova 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1). The three-time US Open winner will face off against China’s eighth seed Li Na. Since winning in Birmingham on grass the week before Wimbledon, Li Na will play in her first final.

Li said that she is ready for the challenge against Clijsters and she has nothing to lose because she has played with her so many times. She said that all she has to do is to show the best tennis on the court.

Previously, the pair has met five times. On four occasions Clijsters has won, out of which two were at this tournament, in 2006, and then in the 2007 semi-final. Li can continue her affinity with Australia, if she can get over Clijsters. It would be Li’s biggest career win. Last year in Melbourne at the Open, she had reached the semi-finals and in 2008 won on the Gold Coast.

Australian Open · Kim Clijsters · Nadia Petrova · Tennis · US Open

After news broke that Alberto Contador may have taken drugs, Rafael Nadal has hit out at the number of doping scandals in sports such as cycling. For doping, the three-time Tour de France champion is under investigation and he faces a two-year ban.

After winning the Tour de France, Contador was regarded as, one of cycling’s all-time greats and is a hero in Spain but he is to be investigated for performance enhancing drugs abuse. In recent years, it is the latest of many drugs scandals, which have tarnished cycling almost beyond repair, and when speaking to Spanish radio, Nadal made his feelings clear.

Rafael Nadal said that he hopes the “tremendous damage” caused to all sports stop and Alberto Contador’s doping case clears up soon.

In recent years, Tennis has had relatively few drugs scandals although earlier this year, American player Wayne Odesnik received a two-year ban for smuggling Human Growth Hormone into Australia.

Cycling, as a sport is most affected by doping where such cases arise constantly, cites world’s top-ranked tennis player. Nadal says that this causes tremendous amount of damage and casts doubts over other athletes.

After Spanish sports was rocked by Contador’s positive for Clenbuterol at the Tour de France, Alejandro Blanco has taken strong stance against doping and the arrest of track runner Marta Dominguez, coaches and sports doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who was also implicated in Operacion Puerto in 2006. Blanco told Associated Press news agency that in the case of Contador and any other athletes, if they are found guilty then maximum ban should be appropriate for them. He added that when it is proven an athlete has doped, there should arise a debate whether authorities need to act or not.

Contador’s defense is currently being considered by the Spanish Cycling Federation and the verdict is expected in the New Year. During Contador’s disciplinary hearing, Blanco insisted that he will not receive any preferential treatment.

Alberto Contador · Marta Dominguez · Rafael Nadal · Tennis · Tour de France

Victoria Azarenka looks up to the challenge after qualifying for the WTA Tour Championships, that attracts tennis betting, for the second straight year, although she has big shoes to fill.

In the second round of the Kremlin Cup on Wednesday, Azarenka beat Andrea Petkovic 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 and the No. 10-ranked Azarenka will replace Serena Williams in the eight-player, season-ending event that starts next week in Doha, Qatar.

Azarenka said, “Every player wants to play in Doha, and I’m happy I turned the match my way in the third set”.
On Tuesday, Williams withdrew because of a re-torn tendon in her right foot, which she injured when stepping on broken glass at a restaurant shortly after winning Wimbledon in July.

The two substitutes for the tournament were Azarenka and Li Na of China. But Li lost in the first round in Moscow and she was five points ahead of Azarenka in the championships race. She remains as the top substitute.

Azarenka won the last five games of a match that featured 16 breaks of serve, although she committed 11 double-faults. In the third set, Petkovic called for a doctor to have blisters on her right hand treated.

Azarenka said, “The courts here are extremely slow and it’s hard to serve a winner”.

Serena Williams · Tennis · Victoria Azarenka · WTA Tour Championships

Hot on the heels of the U.S. Open, the Open de Moselle started this week in Metz, France, and Jarkko Nieminen of Finland and Xavier Malisse of Belgium opened with straight-set wins in the first round Tuesday.

Nieminen beat Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-3, 7-6 (2) and Malisse downed French qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6 (3), 6-4. Nieminen next will face Kristof Vliegen of Belgium or Federico Del Bonis, who replaced the injured Michael Llodra in the draw.

Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany, a finalist at the 2009 tournament, was scheduled to play Italian qualifier Thomas Fabbiano late Tuesday,

Tournament Organizers said Llodra withdrew from the tournament after he suffered a leg injury last weekend while playing for France in a 5-0 win over Argentina in the Davis Cup semifinals.

Also Tuesday, Paul-Henri Mathieu beat Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3 in an all-French match. Mannarino got off to a disastrous start, losing the first five games, and then lost his first serving game in the second set.

Mathieu, who was runner-up two years ago, will face fourth-seeded Richard Gasquet.

Defending champion Gael Monfils will open against German qualifier Mischa Zverev, who defeated Horacio Zeballos of Argentina 6-3, 6-2 in 55 minutes.

France · Jarkko Nieminen · Open de Moselle · Tennis · U.S. Open

Several great five set matches in the men’s competition were featured in the second day of the 2010 U.S. Open. In both the men’s and women’s fields, there were also some upsets.

Against fellow countryman Victori Troicki, Novak Djokovic struggled in his first round match. As the Serbians exchanged plenty of long rallies, this second match at Arthur Ashe stadium lasted for more than 3 and a half hours. In the end, in the fifth set, the third seed Djokovic prevailed 6-3.

Winning the fifth set 7-5, Frenchman Arnaud Clement upset 17th seed Marcos Baghdatis in the first round, on Louis Armstrong Stadium. In the men’s draw, the 32-year-old Clement remains the oldest player. The oldest player to enter the main draw, 34-year-old German veteran Rainer Schuettler, lost his opening match in a tough fifth set tiebreak to French qualifier Benoit Paire. American Mardy Fish and eighth seed Fernando Verdasco were the other notable five set victories in the first round.

Rafael Nadal took out Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 7-6(4) 7-6(4) 6-3, in the evening session at Arthur Ashe Stadium. A quick victory by the women’s first seed Caroline Wozniacki was followed. Wozniacki’s match ended just after midnight.

Here’s a look at Days 3 and 4:

Day 3

As unseeded Janko Tipsarevic eliminated Andy Roddick 3-6 7-5 6-3 7-6(4) in front of a night crowd at Arthur Ashe stadium, day three featured the biggest headline of the tournament. Because of a foot fault call, Roddick lost his composure in the third set, and he kept on complaining about it for several games. seventh seed Tomas Berdych was taken out in another major upset on the men’s side by Michael Llodra, 7-6(3) 6-4 6-4.

The headline of the day on the women’s side was when 10th seed Victoria Azarenka collapsed during the first set of her second round match against Gisela Dulko. In a wheelchair, Azarenka was escorted off the court and it was rushed to a local hospital. So far, at the U.S. Open, the 90+-degree weather has been a major factor, and it took out the young Belarusian.

Day 4

On the main show court, the U.S. Open did not feature any extraordinary matches on Day four. At Arthur Ashe Stadium, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Caroline Wozniacki, and Maria Sharapova all enjoyed straight set victories in their second round matches.

Richard Gasquet, who eliminated sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko in straight sets, was the upset of the day. However, the match between 20-year-old Kei Nishikori of Japan and 11th seed Marin Cilic was the most impressive match of the day. In a grueling battle that lasted for almost five hours under the scorching heat, the young Japanese rising star won the match 5-7 7-6(6) 3-6 7-6(3) 6-1.

2010 U.S. Open · Andy Roddick · Novak Djokovic · Roger Federer · Tennis

The opening day of the 2010 US Open was packed with plenty of exciting tennis on the women’s and men’s sides. As always, most of the focus was on the show courts Arthur Ashe Stadium, Louis Armstrong Stadium, and the Grandstand. Of course, there was also some great tennis on the outside side courts of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The action was just as hot as the 90+ degree weather and the same was with the sports betting lines.

The 2010 US Open officially kicked off at 11:00 A.M. Eastern Time as young American Melanie Oudin faced Olga Savchuk in the first match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Oudin, who had a Cinderella story last year by reaching the quarterfinals, easily defeated her qualifier opponent 6-3 6-0 in less than an hour. This match was followed by women’s defending champion Kim Clijsters, who took out Greta Arn 6-0 7-5. Andy Roddick concluded the day session at Arthur Ashe Stadium with a convincing routine victory over Frenchman Stephen Robert 6-3 6-2 6-2.

The night session at Arthur Ashe Stadium featured Venus Williams and Roger Federer. After a brief opening ceremony in front of more than 20,000 fans, Venus Williams stepped out on the court and defeated Roberta Vinci 6-4 6-1.

Roger Federer cruised through his first round match 6-1 6-4 6-2 against the 5’7” lefty Brian Dabul. In fact, Federer was so relaxed in this match that he hit an incredible winner on the run and between the legs during the second set. At times, the match seemed like a show rather than a competition as Federer showed off his swinging arsenal to the New York City night crowd.

Outside of Arthur Ashe Stadium, some other eye catching results included five set victories by fifth seed Robin Soderling and 17th seed Gael Monfils. 2001 US Open champion Lleyton Hewitt lost a five set match to Paul Henri mathieu.

On the women’s side, top players Samantha Stosur, Francesca Schiavone, Victoria Azarenka, and Elena Dementieva were all victorious. Unseeded Dinara Safina, who was the first seed here last year, lost her first round match to Hantuchova 6-3 6-4.

The fans at court 13 were very disappointed as the first two matches ended with retirements by Evgeny Korolev and then by 27th seed Fernando Gonzalez.

2010 US Open · Andy Roddick · Roger Federer · Tennis · Venus Williams

On Aug 30, the entire tennis world prepares for the 2010 U.S. Open, as August comes to an end. Heading into the final grand slam of the year, this summer hard court season is indicators of the type of form some of the top male players.

For the 2010 U.S. Open, when talking about the favorites, main focus is on the top four players Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, and Murray. Andy Roddick was diagnosed with mono and he was dropped out of the top 10, is unfortunately a long shot at this year’s Open. Defending Champion Del Potro, has been struggling with injuries all season long and hasn’t played much, therefore he is also out of the contention.

Of the men’s 2010 U.S. Open Olympus Series, Andy Murray is the current leader, after claiming the Rogers Cup in Toronto, Canada by defeating Roger Federer. Surprisingly, over the greatest player of all time, Murray earned a straight set victory. At the U.S. Open final, there is a good chance that Federer may get this rematch.

Because Nadal, Federer, and Djokovic arrived at the Rogers Cup without playing any matches since Wimbledon, therefore the Olympus Series standings can be misleading. In the Semifinals, Djokovic lost to Federer, while Nadal lost to Murray in the other semifinal. During the hard court season, starting with the Masters Series, the top four players proved that they are the true candidates for claiming major tournaments.

The masters at Cincinnati and the Pilot Pen Open in New Haven, Connecticut are the only two tournaments remaining for the men. Once again, to get to the late stages of the final masters series of the hard court season, the top four men are the heavy favorites.

Traditionally, the top players arrived early at the U.S. Open grounds to start preparing for the grand slam, rather than have skipped the Pilot Pen Open. Nadal, Federer, Djokovic, and Murray will get plenty of preparation with a week of practice. Nadal is still seeking the only Grand Slam he hasn’t claimed yet and he is currently ranked number 1.

Andy Roddick · Djokovic · Federer · Nadal · Tennis · U.S. Open

The Farmers Classic at Los Angeles is the second event of the 2010 US Open Olympus Series. Sports betting star, Andy Murray is the only top 10 ten player to play at this event, which gives the rest of the competitors great chances to earn some points, cash, and momentum at the event.

On Monday July 26, number 5 seed Ernests Gulbis and number 6 seed Janko Tipsarevic both won their first round matches in straight sets. Veteran German Rainer Schuettler won his opening match, as his opponent Horacio Zeballos walked away with an injury. Israeli Dudi Sela took out Xavier Malisse 6-1 4-6 6-3.

On the double’s side, the duo of Arnaud Clement and Johnathan Erlich defeated Travis Parrott and Dusan Vemic 76(8) 6-2. The opening day also featured the final qualifying matches which included winners Somdev Devvarman, Ilija Bozoljac, Tim Smyczek, and wild card American Steve Johnson.

On Tuesday July 27, the singles and doubles action at Los Angeles continued with some great matches from the Americans. Robby Ginepri and Ryan Sweeting were victorious against Kristof Vliegen and Ilja Bozoljac, respectively. James Blake had a solid win over Leonardo Mayer 6-1 6-4. American qualifier Smyczeck took out Gabashvilli 6-2 6-3. Kevin Anderson of South Africa, who reached the semifinals at Atlanta last week, won his first round match 6-3 6-2 over Ilya Marchenko. In the battle between two qualifiers, Indian Somdev Devvarman defeated Steve Johnson 6-4 6-4.

Top seeds Murray, Querrey, Baghdatis, and Lopez were excused from first round matches and got byes into the second round.

Andy Murray · ATP Los Angeles · Ryan Sweeting · Tennis · Travis Parrott

The Atlanta Tennis Championships officially kicked off the ATP summer hard court season of 2010, which is officially named as the Olympus US Open Series. After nine years, Atlanta has the privilege to host some of the world’s best male tennis players once again.

Monday July 19 was the opening day of the Atlanta Tennis Championships, but there has already been plenty of action during the qualifying stages on the weekend. On day one, there were only a few singles matches, as well as some doubles matches.

The Americans had a great start in Atlanta, as Mardy Fish, Michael Russell, and Rajeev Ram won their first round matches. Fish took out James Ward 6-1 6-2, Russell upset eight seed Benjamin Becker 6-3 6-3, and Ram won 6-4 7-6(4) over Karol Beck. Other first round winners included the German veteran Rainer Schuettler and Ukranian Illya Marchenko.

On the doubles side, John Isner and James Blake took out fellow Americans Robby Ginepri and Ryan Sweeting 3-6 6-4 10-3. Top seeds Fleming and Skupski were knocked out by the duo of Jonathan Erlich and Janko Tipsarevic. Additionally, the fourth seeded doubles team of Hutchins and Kerr lost to Kevin Anderson and Michael Russell. Overall, it was an excellent day for the Americans on the singles and doubles sides.

The focus of the tournament is first seed Andy Roddick. After a disappointing early loss at the grass courts of Wimbledon, there are expectations for Roddick to make a real impact in the hard court season leading to the US Open. Roddick got a bye in the first round and will face Rajeev Ram in the second round.

Atlanta ATP event · Atlanta Tennis Championships · Mardy Fish · Michael Russell · Tennis