Tennis Tour Tidbits

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 21st October 2013

Tennis Tour Tidbits

epa03678869 Russia's Maria Sharapova in action against Germany's Angelique Kerber during their semi final match at the WTA Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, Germany, 27 April 2013. EPA/BERND WEISSBROD |

Sharapova Is Starting To Be Missed

Maria Sharapova’s months-long shoulder injury absence from the WTA is starting to take on a life of its own – at least in Bulgaria, the home country of boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov.

Sharapova spent last week in Stockholm, where her man was playing in an ATP event. She withdrew weeks ago from this week’s WTA Championships in Istanbul. The Sharapova camp has nothing to say on her personal life.

Sharapova is due to start more serious training as she rehabs her shoulder and will play exhibitions in December to try and regain some form. She is also still looking for a coach after a disastrous trial in the summer with Jimmy Connors.

Her first event of 2014 is due to be Brisbane which begins in late December, but officials are not holding their breath since she has made late pull-outs from the event on more than one occasion.

ADDITIONAL NEWS

Swiss Marc Rosset on the Tennis Podcast: ‘I beat Federer in his first final. He cried. I said, ‘Don’t cry.’ He said: ‘I might not reach another final’. . . Joining Grigor Dimitrov for his maiden title run in Stockholm were two disciplinarians: his new coach, Roger Rasheed, as well as his girlfriend of nearly one year, Maria Sharapova. . . . Li Na on Istanbul’s night life: ‘I think without my husband I’d find more fun.” . . . Serena Williams on her 10 WTA titles (including two Grand Slams) and her return to No. 1: ‘Makes me never want to retire.” . . The WTA brass has meeting in New York this week with a potential major sponsor. . . Roger Federer says that he’ll be OK if his good friend Stanislas Wawrinka reaches the final eight of the ATP World Finals and “I’ll be happy if Stan qualifies,” Federer said.. “If that means I’ll miss it, I honestly don’t care. It means he was the better player for the year.” . . . Ivan Ljubicic to Tennis Journal as to whether his friend Roger Federer can become an elite player again: “I do. There were so many things happening to him last season. He had the South American exhibitions he played (in December) plus getting hurt and not having enough recovery time. If he can stay pain free and healthy I think next year will definitely be better and never write off a champion, that’s something I’ve learned.”

We Hear—

–That that the two most frequently mentioned 40th anniversaries in tennis this year were The Battle of the Sexes and the founding of the WTA Tour, but commercially there was another one of note: BNP Paribas celebrated its 40th year sponsoring Roland Garros. The bank is also sponsoring the WTA Championships.

Topics: 10sballs, Atp, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Wta