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Men's Tennis Rising Stars

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Andre Agassi

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Jennifer Capriati

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RANKINGS .... 

  2005

INDESIT ATP Race  2005

1st Federer, R. 50

2nd Johansson, J. 35

2nd Ljubicic, I. 35

2nd Moya, C. 35

5th Dent, T. 24

5th Srichaphan, P. 24

7th Costa, A. 22

7th Davydenko, N. 22

9th Chela, J. 15

9th Garcia-Lopez, G. 15 

INDESIT ATP 2005 Entry Ranking

Final Standings: 2004 ....

1st Federer, R. 1267
2nd Roddick, A. 731
3rd Hewitt, L. 718
4th Safin, M. 612
5th Moya, C. 504
6th Henman, T. 493
7th Coria, G. 480
8th Agassi, A. 420
9th Nalbandian, D. 389
10th Gaudio, G. 384

WTA  .. 2004

1 L. DAVENPORT
2 A. MAURESMO
3 A. MYSKINA
4 S. KUZNETSOVA
5 M. SHARAPOVA
6 E. DEMENTIEVA
7 S. WILLIAMS
8 J. HENIN-HARDENNE
9 V. ZVONAREVA
10 V. WILLIAMS
 

You Say It’s Your Birthday!

ATP,WTA..
    to Grand Slams

QUOTE TO BE REMEMBERED:

"There's not a single day that's guaranteed or promised to us, and certainly days like this are very rare," said Agassi, who became the oldest man to win a Grand Slam singles crown in 31 years.

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RESULTS

HEADLINES ....  

Australian Open News ...

Day 14 ... Men's Final

Russian Marat Safin has crashed local hope Lleyton Hewitt's party, recovering from a set down to claim the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup as Australian Open men's singles champion at his third attempt.
 

Australian wildcard pairing Scott Draper and Samantha Stosur have taken out the mixed doubles title at the Centenary Australian Open with a tense 'Super tie-break' victory over Zimbabwean Kevin Ullyett and Liezel Huber of South Africa.
 

The Australian wildcard pairing of Scott Draper and Samantha Stosur captured their first Grand Slam title by taking out the mixed doubles at the Centenary Australian Open.
 

In our review of the Centenary Australian Open, F stands for Five-setters, L is for Legends, R is for Records and S ... well that was both Singles champions: Serena and Safin.

When Marat Safin won the 2000 US Open, he felt like it was a victory he didn't fully deserve because it came too easily, but with his second Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open - after the disappointment of two Melbourne Park final losses - he now feels like he belongs.
 

Having fallen just short of accomplishing his dream of winning his home Grand Slam for the first time, Lleyton Hewitt acknowledged the support he had received from the local fans. "The public's been incredible. You know, it felt like a Davis Cup the last two weeks. But, you know, he (Safin) played an awesome match."

Day 13 ...

Doubles Triumph for Zimbabwean Duo
Serena Takes the Title

2005 Australian Open women's champion Serena Williams says holding serve in the 'pivotal' fifth game of the second put her on the path to victory over Lindsay Davenport in the women's singles final. Williams said holding to go ahead 3-2 after saving six break points in a 12-minute game cannot be underestimated.

World No.1 Lindsay Davenport was left to lament one that got away on Saturday afternoon, when she claimed the first set in the women's final of Australian Open 2005 against Serena Williams but couldn't complete her second Melbourne Park triumph.

Zimbabwe's Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett have taken out the men's doubles title at the Centenary Australian Open after defeating American twins Bob and Mike Bryan in straight sets on Day 13 at Melbourne Park. The No.5 seeded team broke their opponents once in each set to win 6-4 6-4.

No.7 seed Serena Williams has rallied from a one-set deficit, and a lower back injury that troubled her early, to beat No.1 seed and fellow American Lindsay Davenport and claim her second Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup as Australian Open women's champion, winning 2-6 6-3 6-0.

Australian David Hall has reached his fourth-consecutive Wheelchair Classic 8s final with a hard-won victory over Jayant Mistry of Great Britain.

The historic men's final at the Centenary Australian Open - to be played at night for the first time - promises to be a classic, featuring two compelling storylines. After a stunning second week at Australian Open 2005, an epic final between two worthy winners - Lleyton Hewitt and Marat Safin - is what awaits.

Day 12 ...

2004 was a watershed year for Russian women's tennis, with Anastasia Myskina's breakthrough victory at Roland Garros followed by Maria Sharapova's Wimbledon win and Svetlana Kuznetsova claiming the US Open crown. So a year which began with no Russian having claimed a Grand Slam women's singles crown ended with three successive Grand Slam titles being taken out by tsarinas.

Lleyton Hewitt has rallied from one set down to beat Andy Roddick and become the first local since Pat Cash at the inaugural Melbourne Park tournament in 1988 to qualify for the Australian Open final in the event's Centenary. The gutsy Australian won 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-4) 6-1.

Australian Alicia Molik and Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova have put their disappointing exits from the quarter-finals in the singles competition behind them to win the women's doubles title at Australian Open 2005. The No.6 seeds proved far too strong for singles finalist Lindsay Davenport and her fellow American Corina Morariu, cruising to a 6-3 6-4 victory.

Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport have blazed different paths through to this Australian Open final, but no matter what the result, a drought will be broken. Injury robbed Williams of the chance to defend her title last year. Davenport's wait has been much longer, since her triumph at this very tournament in 2000.

Day 11 ...

He is human. Marat Safin upset Roger Federer 5-7, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 9-7 on Thursday.

Serena, Davenport Survive Another Day
The Centenary Australian Open women's singles final will be an all-American affair after Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams both won tense semi-finals. Williams was the first to advance, outlasting Maria Sharapova in a see-sawing thriller 2-6 7-5 8-6, while Davenport prevailed over Nathalie Dechy 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

Safin Ready for Another Shot
The record books will always show that on Australian Open men's final day in 2004, Roger Federer defeated Marat Safin in straight sets to begin a brilliant year, which included three Grand Slam triumphs and another eight tournament victories for good measure.

Serena Battles Past Sharapova
Serena Williams will take a shot at her second Australian Open women's singles crown on Saturday after outlasting Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova in a hard-hitting, tension-filled, see-sawing, three-set semi-final.

Davenport Holds off Dechy
World No.1 Lindsay Davenport has survived her second big scare in two-consecutive days to advance to a women's singles final showdown with Serena Williams. The American prevailed over Frenchwomen Nathalie Dechy, winning a tight semi-final 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

Keeping an Eye on the Kids
The traffic around Court 4 is as busy as ever. People are milling between the outside courts and show courts and occasionally stopping to watch a couple of 17-year-olds slug it out in the midday heat. Unbeknown to many, one of them, Sun-Yong Kim, is the top-ranked junior in the world, the other, Croat Petar Jelenic, is playing the match of his short career.

Davenport to Savour This Gift
You can bet that Lindsay Davenport is looking at this Australian Open 2005 semi-final match-up against Nathalie Dechy as a special gift she's not about to return. Davenport comes into this match just 24 hours after having a battle royal with Australia's favorite daughter, Alicia Molik, in the quarter-finals.

Serena Spells Trouble for Sharapova
The bad news for Maria Sharapova is that Serena Williams' performance at this Australian Open 2005 is reminiscent of the Williams who once owned the WTA Tour. And it is easy to tell that it's the Williams of old that has returned: she is most definitely walking around the tournament wearing her game face.

Day 10 ...

Roddick Advances as Davydenko Forfeits
Dechy Keeps Going
Davenport Sneaks Past Molik
 

His cheers turned to mutters, Lleyton Hewitt kept up hopes with a 6-3, 6-2, 1-6, 3-6, 10-8 quarterfinal win against David Nalbandian. Compatriot Alicia Molik fell to Lindsay Davenport. No Aussie man has won the Open since '76.

Settle In for Five Sets
While Australian Lleyton Hewitt has advanced beyond the round of 16 at his home Grand Slam for the first time, he's had no chance to rest on his laurels as he prepares for the challenge of facing consistent Argentine David Nalbandian in what promises to be a drawn-out quarter-final.

Davenport, Dechy Survive Searching Tests
No.1 seed Lindsay Davenport and French surprise packet Nathalie Dechy will meet in a semi-final after both survived torrid three-set quarter-final encounters at the Centenary Australian Open. Davenport overcame a spirited performance from Alicia Molik to prevail 6-4 4-6 9-7 while Dechy came from a set down to oust Patty Schnyder 5-7 6-1 7-5.

Roddick Advances as Davydenko forfeits
World No.2 Andy Roddick has advanced to a semi-final berth at Australian Open 2005 after Russian No.26 seed Nikolay Davydenko was forced to forfeit during the third set with the American on track to record a straight-sets victory.

Davenport Sneaks Past Molik
Australian Alicia Molik, the No.10 seed, has taken world No.1 Lindsay Davenport the distance - and further - in a gripping quarter-final encounter, before the American came up with a couple more big points to advance to the semi-finals at Australian Open 2005 with a 6-4 4-6 9-7 victory.

Dechy Keeps Going
Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy is through to her first Grand Slam semi-final after a three-set win over Swiss No.12 seed Patty Schnyder, 5-7 6-1 7-5. The No.19 will face world No.1 Lindsay Davenport after the two-hour-33-minute quarter-final on Margaret Court Arena.

Korean Junior Poised for Breakthrough
The Australian Open Boys' Singles title has been dominated by Europeans for the past decade with Andy Roddick (2000) the only player outside of Europe to claim the crown during this time. However, that could be about to change with 17-year-old Korean, Sun-Yong Kim Jr., looming as the hot favourite to claim this year's title.

Garnier Gives Girls a Day Out
The Australian Open's inaugural Garnier Girls Day began with multiple pops rather than a single bang, as guests at the champagne breakfast sipped from miniature bottles of bubbly while discussing the mouth-watering Australia Day of tennis ahead.

Unleashing Alicia
The Alicia Molik story didn't begin at Australian Open 2005 and it certainly doesn't end here either. The emerging Australian thrilled the home crowd when she pushed Lindsay Davenport to three sets in a classic quarter-final but she knows the journey has just begun. "I can be comforted by the fact that I feel like I'm going to put myself in more positions like today to take advantage of," Molik said.

Schnyder v Dechy - Must be a Grand Slam
The three previous meetings between Nathalie Dechy and Patty Schnyder have all been at Grand Slams. This match will hinge on Schnyder, an aggressive baseliner who has a very streaky game. If she's on, she'll be able to swallow Dechy with little resistance.

Molik May Surprise Davenport Too
Alicia Molik was not the player that Lindsay Davenport was expecting to face in the quarter-finals, so you can wonder a bit as to how the world No.1 is going to approach this encounter.

Day 9 ...

Agassi No Match for Federer
Safin Dominates Hrbaty
Serena On Song
Sharapova Fights Through

It's Maria v Serena in Semis
Women's No.4 seed Maria Sharapova will meet No.7 seed Serena Williams in an Australian Open 2005 semi-final after the pair notched contrasting victories over Svetlana Kuznetsova and Amelie Mauresmo, respectively.

Federer, Safin Simply Stunning
Roger Federer and Marat Safin have set up a semi-final showdown at Australian Open 2005 after both dominated their quarter-finals. Federer was simply awesome in defeating four-time champion Andre Agassi 6-3 6-4 6-4 in balmy conditions for the night session on Rod Laver Arena, while Safin defeated Dominik Hrbaty 6-2 6-4 6-2 under a closed roof.

Hewitt has Cash Backing
Australia's last finalist at its home Grand Slam, Pat Cash, believes Lleyton Hewitt is tough enough to rebound from a brutal fourth-round match against Rafael Nadal in time for an Australia Day quarter-final showdown with David Nalbandian on Day Ten.

What's New in New Zealand?
Like so many countries, New Zealand and its four million people are constantly on the lookout for a player to fly the national flag in the big time so when the Australian Open 2005 junior tournament began on Day Eight there was plenty of support for the five teenagers with 'New Zealand' alongside their names.

Korean Junior Poised for Breakthrough
The Australian Open Boys' Singles title has been dominated by Europeans for the past decade with Andy Roddick (2000) the only player outside of Europe to claim the crown during this time. However, that could be about to change with 17-year-old Korean, Sun-Yong Kim Jr., looming as the hot favourite to claim this year's title.

Sharapova Fights Through
Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova is the first semi-finalist at Australian Open 2005 after battling through a three-set quarter-final against US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova.

The New Champ Faces the Old Master
Ever since their epic quarter-final at the US Open last year, when Andre Agassi pushed Roger Federer to five sets en route to his third Grand Slam win for the year, the rematch between these two giants of the sport has been eagerly awaited.

Serena On Song
2003 Women's Singles champion Serena Williams has swept past No.2 seed Amelie Mauresmo in convincing style to book a semi-final clash with Wimbledon winner Maria Sharapova at Australian Open 2005.

Day 8 ....

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Venus Williams lost to Alicia Molik of Australia 7-5, 7-6 (3) Monday in the fourth round of the Australian Open, extending her Grand Slam drought and keeping her from joining sister Serena in the quarterfinals.  Williams was seeking her fifth Grand Slam title and first since winning the 2001 U.S. Open.

Russians Knocked Out
Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy and Swiss No.12 seed Patty Schnyder will play for a semi-final berth at Australian Open 2005 after both upset higher-ranked Russian opponents in the fourth-round. Also through to the quarter-finals is 2000 champion Lindsay Davenport who awaits either Venus Williams or Alicia Molik.

Roddick Rolls On
Men's No.2 seed Andy Roddick has charged into the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2005 with a straight-sets win over unseeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber and awaits the winner of the fourth-round clash between Argentine No.12 seed Guillermo Canas and Russian No.26 Nikolay Davydenko.

Hrbaty Not Over
He has played in 33 consecutive Grand Slam tournaments, has an unbeaten record against Roger Federer and could have made a living as a professional skier, but despite all this, Dominik Hrbaty remains the great unknown heading into his quarter-final against Marat Safin at the Centenary Australian Open.

Having a Ball at Melbourne Park
The window of opportunity is limited for an Australian Open ball kid. They have just four years - between the ages of 12 and 15 - to perfect their tennis-ball-rolling talents and generally strut their stuff at Melbourne Park. It's by no means an effortless gig. A ball kid works about four matches per day during the two-week competition, with maybe three days off in the process.

Russians To Go Toe-to-Toe
This enticing Australian Open 2005 quarter-final between Maria Sharapova and Svetlana Kuznetsova boils down to reigning Wimbledon champion versus reigning US Open champion, Russian versus Russian. Bring on the boxing gloves because this encounter could deliver quite a few punches.

Dementieva Falls to Schnyder
Swiss No.12 seed Patty Schnyder has progressed past the fourth-round for the second year in a row after overcoming Russian No.6 seed Elena Dementieva 6-7 (6-8) 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 in a match lasting two hours 42 minutes on Rod Laver Arena.

Style Tips from Top Trend Setter
James Blake and Lleyton Hewitt have received fashion points from 'Sex and the City' stylist Rebecca Weinberg for the sleeveless shirts they are sporting this year. But if Weinberg had her way, this would be just the beginning of a movement towards a serious dressing down - even to the extreme of shirtless matches.

Davenport Untroubled
Women's No.1 seed Lindsay Davenport has cruised into the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2005, where she awaits the winner of the clash between No.8 Venus Williams and local hope Alicia Molik. The 2000 champion easily accounted for Croatian Karolina Sprem 6-2 6-2.

Davydenko to Face Roddick
Russian No.26 seed Nikolay Davydenko is through to his first Grand Slam quarter-final after a comprehensive straight-sets win over Argentine No.12 Guillermo Canas, but will meet American No.2 seed Andy Roddick.

Lleyton Achieves Career-best Quarter-final
Local hero Lleyton Hewitt has reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open for the first time after staging a stunning comeback to defeat Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal in a memorable five-set tussle.

Day 7 ....

Chela fined $2,000 over spat with Hewitt
• Seven Russians in women's round of 16
• Coria, Nalbandian set up Argentinian clash
• Day 6: Roddick rides serve into round of 16
• Clijsters planning mid-February comeback
• Safin lowers the volume as he nears 25
• WADA won't intervene in Kuznetsova case
 

Kohlschreiber Writing His Own Chapter
German men's tennis has endured a lean patch since the charismatic Boris Becker won his last Australian Open in 1996. But the Centenary Australian Open has given rise to new hope for German tennis fans with the emergence of an improbable heir to the throne in Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Sweet Charity
For the past six or seven years, the middle Sunday at the Australian Open has been designated as Charity Day, with the fans and the tournament contributing to two different charities each year.

Mauresmo Fit and Fighting
A year ago, Amelie Mauresmo exited the Australian Open in tears, unable to take her place in the quarter-finals due to a back strain that she sustained in her fourth-round win over Alicia Molik. This year she has made her way back to the quarter-finals with heavy strapping on a troublesome left thigh.

Shaky Sharapova, Serena Survive
The women's No.4 and No.7 seeds, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams, have survived three-set fourth-round matches to reach the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2005. Sharapova wil face No.5 seed Svetlana Kuznetsova while Williams meets No.2 Amelie Mauresmo.

Andre Sets Up Battle of the Champs
Four-time champion Andre Agassi will face defending titleholder Roger Federer in the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2005 after outlasting big-serving Swede Joachim Johansson in the fourth-round. The No.1 and No.8 seeds have been joined in the last eight by No.20 Dominik Hrbaty.

Kuznetsova Keeps Rolling
US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, the No.5 seed, remains on track for a quarter-final showdown with Wimbledon winner Maria Sharapova, seeded No.4, after accounting for another Russian, Vera Douchevina, in the fourth-round of Australian Open 2005.

Mauresmo Makes Quarters
Women's No.2 seed Amelie Mauresmo has moved through to the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2005 with a 6-2 6-4 win over unseeded Russian teen Evgenia Linetskaya.

Federer First Through
Defending champion Roger Federer is the first man through to the quarter-finals of Australian Open 2005 following a straight-sets win over qualifier Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.

Andre Advances in Four
Four-time men's singles champion Andre Agassi is through to a highly-anticipated quarter-final clash with defending champion Roger Federer after surviving a barrage of aces from Swede Joachim Johansson to take out their fourth-round match in four sets.

Day 6 ...

Injury Forces Raymond Out
A torn abdominal muscle has forced women's No.25 seed Lisa Raymond out of the Australian Open, handing French Open champion and No.3 seed Anastasia Myskina free passage into the fourth-round.

Joachim Now One of the Big Guns
To say that 2004 was a breakthrough year for Swedish shooting star Joachim Johansson would be something of an understatement. Just four years after turning professional and little more than two years after winning his first ATP match, the 198cm youngster found himself ranked No.12 in the world … and the world is starting to pay attention.

Sania Blazes Her Own Trail
India, a country of over one billion people, has yet to produce an elite female tennis player, but that might be about to change with the emergence of 18-year-old Sania Mirza at this year's Centenary Australian Open.

Henman Exits as Other Seeds Cruise
Men's No.2 seed Andy Roddick and No.6 seed Guillermo Coria have blazed their way into the fourth-round of the Centenary Australian Open, Coria one of three Argentines to advance, but No.7 seed Tim Henman has been bundled out by Nikolay Davydenko.

No Trouble for Seeds
Local hope Alicia Molik will play 2003 finalist Venus Williams in a blockbuster Australian Open 2005 fourth-round clash, while their fellow seeds Lindsay Davenport, Anastasia Myskina and Elena Dementieva are also safely through, but in contrasting fashion.

Bad Day at the Office for Henman
For Tim Henman, Britain's No.1 ranked player, the expectations are high - often very high - each time a Grand Slam tournament rolls around. The pressure may not have been as obvious at Melbourne Park on Saturday, but his surprise defeat to Russian Nikolay Davydenko in the third-round of Australian Open 2005 was no less disappointing for the veteran.

Meet Marcos Baghdatis
If you hadn't heard of Marcos Baghdatis before this Centenary Australian Open, you're excused. However the 19-year-old was one of only two players (along with Andre Agassi) to take a set off world No.1 and eventual champion Roger Federer at last year's US Open.

Fans Flock to Melbourne Park Setting All-Time Record
44,517 fans flocked to Melbourne Park today to enjoy the tennis and soak up the atmosphere, setting an all time record for any session in the 100-year history of the Australian Open. This figure is up by 5,000 on the same day last year - a 12% increase.

Day 5 ...

Russians Keep Coming
Five of the first eight women through to the fourth-round of Australian Open 2005 are Russian - and there could be as many as four more. Maria Sharapova, Vera Douchevina, Evgenia Linetskaya, Nadia Petrova and Svetlana Kuznetsova have joined Italian Silvia Farina Elia, Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo and Serena Williams in the last 16.

Smooth Progress for Top Chances
The leading chances in the top half of the men's draw at Australian Open 2005 - Roger Federer, Marat Safin and Andre Agassi - have breezed into the second week of the championship. Agassi meets Joachim Johannson in the fourth-round, after the Swedish No.11 seed defeated Spaniard Feliciano Lopez in a marathon five-set clash, 6-3 3-6 5-7 7-6 (7-2) 13-11, the match finishing after 11pm local time and ending an incredible day session on Vodafone Arena.

Safin Savours Less Court Time
In a stark warning to his rival title contenders, Russian Marat Safin is feeling 'much more comfortable' at the Australian Open this year after cruising through the first three rounds compared to the torturous path he took to last year's final. "I'm playing a little bit smarter and I'm just trying to save my time on the court and try to be focused from the first point and try to keep it short," Safin reflected.

Teen Takes Aim at Amelie
After advancing to the fourth-round of the Centenary Australian Open in only her second Grand Slam appearance, 18-year-old Russian Evgenia Linetskaya is determined for her dream run to continue. The world No.93 is yet to drop a set at Melbourne Park after disposing of veteran American No.21 seed Amy Frazier 6-3 6-4 on Day Five.

Breakfast With the Stars
As the sun rose over Melbourne Park on Friday morning, the champagne corks began to pop as a lucky group of tennis fans enjoyed breakfast with some of the legends of the game to help celebrate 100 years of the Australian Open and kick-off Optus 'yes' Day.

Brits Battle for Baltacha Loyalties
"I'm a mix" is the diplomatic answer Britain's No.1 ranked female tennis player Elena Baltacha gives when asked where she gives her allegiance. "I was born in Kiev (Ukraine), that's where my roots are. I lived in Scotland for many years. Now I live in London. Everywhere that I've lived, I've always felt so welcomed," Baltacha explained.

Day 4 ...

Top Seeds Comfortably Progress
The leading women's chances in action on Day Four of the Centenary Australian Open - led by Lindsay Davenport and Anastasia Myskina - have advanced to the third-round, but some of the lower-ranked seeds waved Melbourne Park goodbye. In the night match on Rod Laver Arena, No.10 seed Alicia Molik thrilled her home fans by cruising through with a 6-2 6-4 triumph over Japan's Aiko Nakamura.

Nadal Matches Style with Substance
Spanish teenage sensation Rafael Nadal made a big fashion statement and even bigger tennis statement as he again showed the Melbourne Park crowd why he is one of the rising stars of the men's tour. Nadal, wearing long white pants which went below his knee and at the same time the latest sleeveless blue and white top also being worn by Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt, advanced to the third-round as his tennis more than matched his stylish clothing.

Roddick, Hewitt Advance on Day of Upsets
World No.2 Andy Roddick has seen off big-serving Briton Greg Rusedski in the evening match on Day Four of the Centenary Australian Open, while local hope Lleyton Hewitt survived a big scare from James Blake. In an absorbing clash on Rod Laver Arena, the Australian rallied from one set down against Blake and survived a dramatic second-set tie-break to advance. It was also a day in which qualifiers made their mark at Melbourne Park.

Game, Schett, Match
When Austrian Barbara Schett decided she had lost the passion for tennis at the top level, she thought about the appropriate time and place to draw the curtain on her career. "I played Australia because it was my favourite tournament," she said. "I always loved it here. That's why I wanted to quit here."

Suzuki's Time in the Sun
Like many players who entered the main draw of the Centenary Australian Open via qualifying, Japan's Takao Suzuki was eliminated before the end of the first week, but the 28-year-old managed to produce one of the tournament's most memorable performances so far, forcing world No.1 Roger Federer to lift his game before an appreciative crowd at Rod Laver Arena.

Anyone for Doubles Sculls?
They aren't the first Olympic gold medallists to row the Yarra, but Ting Li and Tian Tian Sun would have to be the first women's doubles pair to do so. With a bit of help from the girls of the Melbourne University Rowing Club, the duo was able to complete a lap from the boatshed around Princes Bridge and back again.


Rockets at the Ready
After failing to back up his 2003 US Open title with another Grand Slam victory last year, it's hard to deny that the pressure is on Andy Roddick to produce some big results in 2005.
 

Day 3 ...

Petrova Pushed by Ferguson
Baghdatis Takes Out a Seed
Beck Stops Haas
Mauresmo Overcomes Safina
Zvonereva Loses Battle of the Veras

Top Seeds Breeze Through
2003 Australian Open champion Serena Williams and US Open winner Svetlana Kuznetsova were the most impressive women's winners on Day Three at Melbourne Park as a number of big names required three sets to advance and a host of seeds bowed out with second-round losses.

Safin, Agassi Raise the Bar
Most people expected Roger Federer to cruise through to the third-round of the Centenary Australian Open with an easy victory over Japanese qualifier Takao Suzuki, but few would have anticipated the exquisite tennis the Swiss was forced to play on his way to an entertaining 6-3 6-4 6-4 victory. In other results, leading contenders Andre Agassi and Marat Safin demolished their opponents in straight-sets.

2003 Final Revisited
The last time we saw Andre Agassi take on Rainer Schuettler at the Australian Open, it was under very different circumstances. The day was a Sunday in 2003, and the two were squaring off in the final, where Agassi demolished the German in a decisive 6-2 6-2 6-1 victory.

Keeping it in the Family
For any youngster arriving on the world tennis scene, surviving - let alone being successful - on the international circuit can be a daunting prospect. For some players, things can be made that little bit easier by the presence of a sibling who is dealing with the same pressures at the same time.

No Fairytale Comeback for Haas
Tommy Haas' Australian Open campaign came to a premature and steamy end on Day Three as his much-anticipated return to Melbourne Park was derailed by a combination of hot weather and the gritty determination of Slovakian Karol Beck. Haas was playing his first Australian Open since 2002 after missing the past two events due to shoulder injuries.

Zvonereva Loses Battle of the Veras
Vera Zvonereva, the No.9 seed, has crashed out of the Australian Open in the second-round, losing to fellow Russian Vera Douchevina.

Mauresmo Overcomes Safina
French No.2 seed Amelie Mauresmo has recovered from a slow start against a fired-up Dinara Safina to advance to the third-round of Australian Open 2005 with a 2-6 6-1 6-0 victory.

Beck Stops Haas
German No.16 seed Tommy Haas has been knocked out in the second-round of Australian Open 2005 as Slovakian Karol Beck came from two sets down to triumph 5-7 2-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.

Baghdatis Takes Out a Seed
Cypriot youngster Marcos Baghdatis has knocked Croatian No.22 seed Ivan Ljubicic out of Australian Open 2005 in a tough four-set second-round match.

Day 2 ....

Roddick an easy winner | Venus, Lindsay, too
Kuznetsova denies doping allegations | Official talks
Roddick: Working with Gilbert 'had run its course'
Garcia-Lopez shocks fifth-seed Moya in first round
Agassi, Federer, Serena breeze through openers
Notebook: Federer happy to have Roche on board
Sharapova deflects Myskina-fueled controversy
Serena launches new tennis

Draper Lives the Dream
Self-described 'professional sportsman' Scott Draper spent more than three hours chasing a small green ball around Melbourne Park on Monday in a first-round loss to Spaniard Tommy Robredo at Australian Open 2005.


Myskina, Molik Move into Second-Round
French Open champion Anastasia Myskina and Australian Alicia Molik have joined fellow seeds Lisa Raymond, Daniela Hantuchova and Jelena Kostanic in the second-round of Australian Open 2005.

Roddick, Argentines Cruise Through
World No.2 Andy Roddick has demolished Georgian Irakli Labadze 7-5 6-2 6-1 on Day Two at Australian Open 2005 as Argentina made its mark with No.6 seed Guillermo Coria, No.12 seed Guillermo Canas and No.25 seed Juan Ignacio Chela cruising through to the second-round without dropping a set between them.

Coria Cruises Through
Argentine No.6 seed Guillermo Coria has wasted little time opening his Australian Open 2005 campaign with a straight-sets win over Czech Tomas Berdych on Rod Laver Arena.

Rusedski Advances Past Bjorkman
Briton Greg Rusedski is through to the second-round at Australian Open 2005 after a four-set victory over Swede Jonas Bjorkman. In his nine previous visits to Melbourne Park, Rusedski has reached at least the third-round on four occasions, with his best performance a fourth-round exit in 2001.

Kostanic Survives Dellacqua Scare
Croatian No.31 seed Jelena Kostanic is through to the second-round of Australian Open 2005 despite losing the first set of her opening match to Australian wildcard Casey Dellacqua.

Rusedski Feeling Strong
British veteran Greg Rusedski declared himself 'mentally stronger now than I've ever been' after overcoming fellow veteran Jonas Bjorkman to progress to the second-round of the Centenary Australian Open on Tuesday.

Stepping Up
Six former Australian junior champions made it into the main draw of the men's singles at Australian Open 2005 and four were first-round winners. So how hard is the transition from being a junior star to a major player?

Winning Keeps Alicia Busy
The buzz is all around the Australian Open when it comes to No.10 seed Alicia Molik: Can the 23-year-old become a home-grown Australian Open champion in the year that this Grand Slam celebrates its 100th Anniversary?

DAY 1 ...
Moya Eliminated by Compatriot
Mandula Upsets Pennetta
Johansson Outlasts Luczak
Serena Advances
Federer Advances
Agassi Advances
 
Serena, Mauresmo Safely Progress
Leading chances Amelie Mauresmo and 2003 champion Serena Williams have both eased through to the second-round of Australian Open 2005, while a host of Russians also comfortably progressed on Day One. World No.2 Mauresmo was made to fight against local hope Samantha Stosur, clawing her way back from a break down in the second set to take the match 6-2 6-3.

Akshat Breaks New Ground
A youngster from India made history when he became the first international ball kid to work on Rod Laver Arena on Monday, and while it was a dream come true, Akshat Joshi harbours ambitions to one day return to the Australian Open with a different job in mind.

Federer, Agassi easily advance
World No.5 Carlos Moya was the big-name casualty on Day One of the Centenary Australian Open, bowing out to compatriot and qualifier Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. But defending champion Roger Federer and four-time champion Andre Agassi easily brushed aside Fabrice Santoro and German qualifier Deiter Kindlmann respectively.

Johansson Savours Another Win
He did it the hard way but 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson is finally back in the winner's circle at Melbourne Park. "Today felt like a nightmare," Johansson said after his five-set win over Australian wildcard Peter Luczak. It was the Swede's first victory at Melbourne Park since his breakthrough Grand Slam triumph.

Serena in Ominous Form
Serena Williams has not lost a match at Melbourne Park since Martina Hingis knocked her out in a thrilling quarter-final in 2001, but she only has one Australian Open women's singles title to her name. Nonetheless, Williams started the Centenary Australian Open with a convincing 6-1 6-1 win over Frenchwoman Camille Pin.

Mandula Upsets Pennetta
Unseeded Hungarian Petra Mandula has knocked out No.30 seed Flavia Pennetta in three sets to advance to a second-round clash with Asian wildcard recipient Sania Mirza of India. Mandula celebrated her 27th birthday with the 3-6 6-1 6-3 win.

Wildcards Equal Opportunity
Goran Ivanisevic proved at Wimbledon 2001 that wildcards aren't just there to make up the numbers. But the Croat was hardly your typical Grand Slam wildcard recipient. Most of the time, wildcards are granted to young up-and-coming players outside the world top 104 - the traditional cut-off for direct entry into a Grand Slam.

 ...Philippoussis officially pulls out of Australian Open
Serena: Clothes don't make the woman, they help
Capriati to miss Aussie Open with shoulder injury

Other tennis news

'89 French champ Chang joins USTA committee
Four players out injured or ill at Sydney International
Top-seeded Farina Elia ousted in Canberra Classic
Davenport withdraws from Sydney tourney, bronchitis

Federer downs Roddick to win Kooyong Classic

Hewitt recovers to win fourth straight Sydney title

Gonzalez eases past Rochus in Heineken final

DOHA, Qatar -- It didn't take long for Roger Federer to gain his first victory of 2005. Federer completed a overpowering week here, routing Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic, 6-3, 6-1, Saturday to capture the $1 million Qatar Open.

ADELAIDE, Australia -- Second-seeded Joachim Johansson of Sweden won his second career title Sunday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Taylor Dent at the Australian men's hardcourt tennis championships.

HONG KONG -- Elena Dementieva cruised past defending champion Venus Williams 6-3, 6-2 Saturday to win the Hong Kong's Champions Challenge tennis tournament.

 

SYDNEY, Australia -- Australian Mark Philippoussis confirmed Sunday he will not play in the Sydney International tennis tournament this week after tearing his adductor muscle at last week's Hopman Cup. 

Healthy again, Serena eyes top ranking

Haas tears groin during Hopman Cup

 GENERAL INTEREST

Steffi Graff / Godmother
  Royal Caribbean...Navigator of the Seas

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TV Schedule (all times EST)

JANUARY Tennis Channel..
The Tennis Channel is covering pro events as well as airing special features.

Australian Open, Jan. 17-30, Melbourne:
Sunday, Jan. 16
ESPN2: 11 P.M.-2:00 A.M. (L)
Monday, Jan. 17
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 10:30 P.M.-1:30 a.m. (L)
Tuesday, Jan. 18
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 11 P.M.-2 A.M. (L)
Wednesday, Jan. 19
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 10 P.M.-1:30 A.M. (L)
Thursday, Jan. 20
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 11 P.M.-2 A.M. (L)
Friday, Jan. 21
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 11 P.M.-2:30 A.M. (L)
Saturday, Jan. 22
ESPN2: 12-2 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 10 P.M.-1 A.M. (L)
Sunday, Jan. 23
ESPN2: 12-2 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 9 P.M.-12:30 A.M. (L)
Monday, Jan. 24
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 9:30 P.M.-1:30 A.M. (L)
Tuesday, Jan. 25
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 10 P.M.-2 A.M. (L)
Wednesday, Jan. 26
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 10 P.M.-1 A.M. (L)
Thursday, Jan. 27
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN2: 11:30 P.M.-12:30 A.M. (L)
Friday, Jan. 28
ESPN2: 2-5 P.M. (T)
ESPN: 9:30-11 P.M. (L)
Sunday, Jan. 30
ESPN: 12-2 P.M. (T)