Tennis Tour News & Tidbits

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 16th November 2013

Tennis Tour News & Tidbits |

Stosur, Tomic, Hewitt, Dellacqua/Barty And Kyrgios Nominated for Newcombe Medal

Australia’s top ranked players Samantha Stosur and Bernard Tomic, along with Lleyton Hewitt, doubles pair Casey Dellacqua and Ashleigh Barty, and rising star Nick Kyrgios have been named finalists for the 2013 Newcombe Medal, awarded to Australia’s most outstanding tennis player.

“The Newcombe Medal is a special occasion that unites our nation’s tennis community at all levels,” said Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley.

“As well as recognizing the achievements of Australia’s most outstanding tennis player, the awards celebrate the exceptional accomplishments and contributions of the many tennis communities, coaches, clubs and schools around the country.”

The Newcombe Medal, Australian Tennis Awards will be held at Crown Palladium, Melbourne on Monday 2 December.

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Hisense Signs Up As Official Sponsor Of Australian Open

Hisense, an international manufacturer of electrical appliances for the home, announcer its official sponsorship of the Australian Open and Australian Open Series tournaments, the Brisbane International and Apia International Sydney.

Hisense has had a presence in Australia since 2006 and plans a variety of promotional events during the tournaments.

“Tennis Australia is thrilled to welcome Hisense as an official sponsor of the Australian Open,” said Craig Tiley, CEO of Tennis Australia and Tournament Director of the Australian Open. In 2014 Hisense will be the official supplier of all television and refrigeration appliances, testament to the outstanding quality of Hisense products befitting a world class sporting event.”

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Raonic To Host Fundraiser For His Foundation

Milos Raonic is hoping to raise thousands for his own charity foundation and Tennis Canada with next week’s second edition of the Raonic Race for Kids to be held in Toronto’s Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto.

The ATP No. 11 will offer one-hour of tennis instruction to the winning team in the fundraising event set for November 19.

The race is comprised of teams – comprised of average fans as well as Canadian celebrities – each of which chip in a $5,000 entry fee before competing in timed circuit-style challenges. Raonic will serve as captain of the team which raises the most in pre-race pledges.

One of the squads is actually composed of five teachers who taught the 22-year-old player when he attended high school in suburban Thornhill., Ontario.

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Dusan Vemic

ADDITIONAL NEWS

Tennis Canada announced that the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex will host the Fed Cup by BNP Paribas World Group II first round tie between Canada and Serbia on February 8-9, 2014. . . . The Mark Knowles Celebrity Tennis Invitational, November 22-23 at the Atlantis Tennis Centre on Paradise Island, has an interesting mix of players including Sabine Lisicki, Taylor Townsend, Lucie Safarova, Max Mirnyi, Denis Kudla, Jesse Levine Jean-Julien Rojer and Oliver Marach . The event raises funds supporting a range of local charities on the islands. . . Canada’s Genie Bouchard, who is up for the WTA ‘s Most Improved Award, has this to say with her 2013 encounters with Ana Ivanovic Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams. “Serena was so accurate with every shot, she could put her serve anywhere she wanted to, and I found it tough to predict where she was going. “I need to improve my anticipation and running to the ball, but that gave me so much experience, so did being on center court with Sharapova at the French Open, with Ivanovic at Wimbledon You can’t duplicate those moments; you can’t feel that in practice. Now, when I walk onto a center court, I know I’ve been there.” . . . The Mubadala World Championships exho at the end of December will feature Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal. . . Toni Nadal gave some tips on the Tennis Space about how juniors can improve: “The problem in this life is that young people want everything quickly – they want everything right now – and they don’t always want to work, work, work. But you do need to work. Maybe someone needs one hour to learn how to do something – like how to play a topspin forehand – and someone else needs two hours, but you need ten hours, or even twenty. You need your mind to appreciate that it could take a long time. You have to be prepared for that.” . . . Petra Kvitova says that the keys for her in 2014 are to mentally stronger, fitter and faster. The Czech said she was drug tested “quite often” in 2014 and says that WTA players don’t talk about it often in the locker room. . . . Player Sandra Klemenschits’ Together We Are Stronger charity event was at the GM-Sports Resort in Anif, Austria. raised approximately $25,000 to give to a young cancer patient.

Topics: 10sballs, Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray, Atp, Bernard Tomic, Lleyton Hewitt, Lucie Safarova, Maria Sharapova, Max Mirnyi, milos raonic, Novak Djokovic, Petra Kvitova, Rafael Nadal, Sabine Lisicki, Samantha Stosur, Serena Williams, Sports, Taylor Townsend, Tennis, Tennis News, Wta