Tennis Tour Tidbits

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 18th July 2013

Tennis Tour Tidbits

epa03789754 US tennis player Serena Williams returns the ball to Sesil Karatantcheva of Kazakhstan during their women's single first round match at the Swedish Open tennis tournament in Bastad, Sweden, 16 July 2013. EPA/BJORN LARSSON ROSVALL SWEDEN OUT |

Miami Beach commissioners decided not to name the new tennis center at Flamingo Park after convicted felon Abel Holtz. Back in the 80s, Holtz built the tennis stadium at his own expense and donated it to the city, which was eventually called Abel Holtz Stadium. But in 1994, Holtz pleaded guilty to lying to a grand jury about secret payments to former mayor Alex Daoud. The city later decided to tear down the stadium. and build a new tennis center, which will be called the Flamingo Park Tennis Center. . . The USTA will once again give out two US Open Sportsmanship Awards to the male and female players who best demonstrate exemplary sportsmanship throughout the duration of the Emirates Airline US Open Series. . . Serena Williams was surprised to hear that she is the first American No.1 to play in Bastad, Sweden, since Maureen Connolly 60 years ago. . . The BB&T Atlanta Open is promoting doubles rather than just singles, beginning with the Bryan Brothers, who recently completed a non-calendar year Garden Slam. The tournament also features Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo, , who lost to the Bryans in the Wimbledon finals, as well as Mardy Fish and Radek Stepanek, Ryan and Christian Harrison, Scott Lipsky and Santiago Gonzalez, Colin Fleming and Jonathan Marray, and Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione.