Tennis News and Tour Tidbits

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 17th December 2013

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

Tennis News and Tour Tidbits

epa03736483 Serena Williams of the USA in action during her final match against Maria Sharapova of Russia in action during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 08 June 2013. EPA/YOAN VALAT |

Andy Murray was also the second-most-retweeted athlete in 2013, behind only controversial college football player Johnny Manziel. . . Maria Sharapova, who has been off the tour for five months with a shoulder injury, wanted to clear up some issues prior to arriving in Brisbane which is why she decided to do an interview with the New York Times that was published on Monday. . . Serena Williams topped ESPN’s “Impact List” as the female athlete who has the most influence in 2013. . . . Christophe Lambert has been hired as the head coach of Canada’s junior tennis training program in Toronto. . .Tennis analyst Mary Carillo will be the commencement speaker at the 2014 Elon University graduation. Her daughter Rachel will graduate from there with a bachelor of science in business administration. . . Bruno Soares on John McEnroe’s comments that the tour should perhaps get rid of doubles because the top singles players rarely play it anymore and there is little interest in it. “I do not agree, it was a bit unfortunate , Soares told Tennis News Brazil. “He understands much of the sport and sees that the sport has evolved but when speaks of doubles he’s referring to players who are at the bottom. I would like to see him one day return the forehand of Fernando Verdasco and see what it feels like. In his time that did not exist, the game was played more slowly. Times have changed.” . . Croatian 20-year-old Ajla Tomljanovic is working with Sam Stosur’s former coach David Taylor on a trial basis in Florida, that it has been going well, and that they will likely be together in Australia.

We Hear —

–That Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have taken two very different approaches in their off-season preparation. Federer has spent a week in Dubai, practicing with 47 year-old former world no.1 Stefan Edberg. Nadal is meanwhile in his native Majorca and has invited 17 year-old US Open junior champion Borna Coric as a training partner.

–That Serena Williams topped ESPN’s “Impact List” as the female athlete who has the most influence in 2013.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Andy Murray, Bruno Soares, Christophe Lambert, David Taylor, Fernando Verdasco, John Mcenroe, Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sam Stosur, Serena Williams, Tennis, Tennis News