Tennis Tour Tidbits

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 10th December 2013

Tennis Tour Tidbits

epa03842141 Sabine Lisicki of Germany reacts after defeating Paula Ormaechea of Argentina during their match on the fourth day of the 2013 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 29 August 2013. The US Open runs through Monday 09 September, a 15-day schedule for the first time. EPA/JASON DECROW |

Sabo Sponsors Lisicki

German jewelry and lifestyle company Thomas Sabo is a new sponsor of world No. 15 Sabine Lisicki. The international brand, with focuses on jewelry, watches and beauty products, is expanding its sponsoring commitment to include tennis.

Since her participation in this year’s Wimbledon final, Lisicki has become one of the world’s better-known players.

Sabo was established in 1984 by Thomas Sabo in Lauf an der Pegnitz in southern Germany, and operates 230 of its own shops across all five continents with a total of around 1,500 employees. At its headquarters, it employs a staff of around 380. Sabo also collaborates globally with approximately 3,000 jewelers as well as leading airlines and airport destinations.

Former President of USTA Texas Garton Passes Away

It is with deep regret and sorrow that USTA Texas acknowledges the loss of longtime supporter and former Texas section president Yvonne K. Garton, who passed away on Dec. 2. The Midland, Texas native was the first woman President of USTA Texas from 1981-82.

At 82, after a long battle with Parkinson’s, she peacefully passed at a hospice in Midland and requested no services to be held. In lieu of flowers she requested that donations be made to either the Allison Cancer Center in Midland, Trinity University, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, The Humane Society of US or to the United Negro College Fund.

Additional News

The prestigious Orange Bowl junior tournament is going on this week but the last Orange Bowl female champ reach the top 10 was Caroline Wozniacki who won the event in 2005 at the age of 15. The only Orange Bowl male champion to reach the Top 10 since 2003 is Marcos Baghdatis. “For me it was a huge stepping stone, that’s for sure,” said Mary Joe Fernandez, who won four Orange Bowls. “Now, there are more opportunities to play against the international field than there was back then, so maybe it doesn’t hold as much of an importance as it did when we were growing up. But it’s still big and it still showcases the best.” . . Poland not only has the Radwanska sisters and Jerzy Janowicz to be proud of as pro players, but another Pole just won the high-level Eddie Herr International junior when Kamil Majchrzak took the crown over Andrey Rublev. . . Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia beat Sandra Samir of Egypt in the girls final. . . 1983 Wimbledon finalist Chris Lewis says that Tennis New Zealand should not look at the Australian, British and US player development programs. “The only value I can see in Tennis New Zealand taking a closer look at these programs is to pay careful attention to what’s been done and do the exact opposite. Instead, they’re copying it.” . . Jim Courier recently spoke to kids at the Genesis School in Kansas City during a media tour to promote the Champions Tennis Series. . . Belgian David Goffin will make his comeback from wrist surgery at a tournament in late December in New Caledonia. . . Maria Sharapova launched her Sugarpova candy line in Colombia last week. . . Maria Kirilenko is learning to ice skate in Washington, DC, where her fiancée, NHL player Alex Ovechkin is based. . . Charlotte’s Dr. Ryan Heider is trying to develop the Lake Norman Tennis Center, which would include 16-lighted outdoor courts and five indoor courts.

We Hear —

–That Jelena Dokic, attempting to make another comeback to top-flight tennis at the age of 30 and after undergoing wrist surgery six months ago, was beaten 6-2, 6-4 by Jarmila Gajdosova in the Australian Open wildcard playoff.

–That the ATP may be close to renewing its sponsorship with FedEx .

Topics: 10sballs.com, Australian Open, Caroline Wozniacki, Jarmila Gajdosova, Jelena Dokic, Jim Courier, Marcos Baghdatis, Maria Kirilenko, Mary Joe Fernandez, Orange Bowl junior tournament, Radwanska, Sabine Lisicki, Tennis, Tennis News, Thomas Sabo, Usta, Wimbledon