Ivanovic enjoys winning start

Top seed Ana Ivanovic opened her 2009 season with a straight-sets defeat of Petra Kvitova at the Brisbane International.

The 21-year-old Serbian, who enjoyed a spell at the top of the rankings in 2008 before ending the year in fifth, was too strong for her Czech opponent and ran out a comfortable 6-4 6-2 winner.

Daniela Hantuchova was one of three seeds to crash out after losing to Italy's Sara Errani.

The tall Slovakian, seeded number four, started well but then collapsed to a 6-7 (1/7) 6-4 6-0 defeat.

Eighth seed Francesca Schiavone and ninth seed Ai Sugiyama also lost, Schiavone going down 7-5 6-2 to Olga Govortsova from Belarus and veteran Japanese Sugiyama falling 6-2 6-3 to home favourite Sam Stosur.

Stosur, ranked 52nd in the world, was due to play Russian Maria Kirilenko in the opening round before the seventh seed withdrew due to illness.

The Queenslander is aiming to get back to full fitness after suffering from Lyme disease and viral meningitis in 2007 which saw her ranking slip from a career-high 27.

Former world number one Amelie Mauresmo is through although she was pushed all the way by the returning Jelena Dokic.

Dokic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2000, battled hard but the Frenchwoman prevailed 7-6 (11/9) 7-6 (7/5).

There were also wins today for Tathiana Garbin and Lucie Safarova.

Murray stuns Fedex again

Britain's rising tennis star Andy Murray upset the odds yet again by beating Swiss ace, Roger Federer in Abu Dhabi.

Andy Murray's preparations for the new season gained momentum in Abu Dhabi as he defeated world number two Roger Federer to progress to the final of the World Tennis Championship where he will face Rafael Nadal.

The Briton was sparked into action after losing the first set and went on to dominate his illustrious opponent for most of a 4-6 6-2 7-6 (8/6) victory which underlined his measure of the Swiss, whom he has now beaten five times in seven meetings.

Murray had looked home and dry at 4-1 in the deciding set and then 6-3 in the tie break but was made to battle all the way before Federer struck a forehand long to seal his fate.

An initially sluggish Murray was broken in his first service game and then failed to convert his own break point as the Swiss raced 3-0 ahead.

But Britain's world number four bounced back to break Federer with a series of punishing shots from the baseline as he began to look comfortable in the Zayed Sports City arena where he hammered American James Blake on Thursday.

However, with both men playing at a subdued pace in what amounts to a pre-season warm-up before the campaign proper begins next week, Federer took the first set 6-4 after Murray double-faulted on set point.

The Scot broke immediately in the second set and then repeated the feat to eventually take it 6-2.

Murray was well on top and took the Federer serve twice to claim a 4-1 lead in the decider.

But he missed an easy volley which would have made it a triple break and Federer hit back spectacularly to force a tie break.

But the Scot kept his cool to set up a meeting with Rafael Nadal, who beat Nikolay Davydenko 6-2 6-3, in Saturday's final, when the victor will walk away with US dollars 250,000 (£173,000).

Murray appeared to be suffering pain in his back at several points during the match but he insisted it should not hamper his preparations for the Australian Open which begins on January 19.

"I think it's just that I haven't played a match in six or seven weeks. Today was pretty physical, I did a lot of running, so I'm sure it's just a bit stiff," he told Sky Sports.

Murray added: "Every time you play Roger it's a great challenge, we've had a lot of close matches in the past.

"I've got the better of him on a few occasions but in the big one we played, at the US Open final, he beat me pretty badly. Hopefully I'll maybe get him in a Slam one day."

The 21-year-old vowed to continue in the same vein as 2008 when he emerged as a genuine contender for a Grand Slam title.

"I need to just try to do what I did in the last three or four months of last year - I played very well," he said.

"Preparations for the Aussie Open begin here and then I'm off to Doha next week and will just try to keep my form going."

Sporting Legends: Justine Henin

'Sporting Legends' continues as we shift our focus to former women's tennis world numero uno, Justine Henin.

By Eugene YS Han

Calling Justine Henin the female ‘Roger Federer' could be sexist or even offensive to some. But when Roger Federer is also labeled the male ‘Justine Henin', it does not seem so bad after all.

And she is that good on the court.

Henin, or ‘Juju' as she's called by her legion of fans, is considered petite in the present world of women's tennis. Compared to the likes of the Williams sisters, Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova, Henin is literally overshadowed by this lot.

But in terms of achievements, Henin can more than hold her own.

The Belgian won 41 singles tournaments and seven grand slams - she won four French Open titles, two US Opens and one Australian. Wimbledon remains the only blot on her report card.

During her reign as world number one, her familiar shout of "Allez!" after hitting winners was common place and so was her usual celebration with a short fist pump.

As fate would have it, Henin was born during Roland Garros on 1 June 1982. The French Open would become a grand slam tournament she will grow to love and dominate both at junior and senior level.

She got her first professional break on the Women's Tennis Association tour in May 1999. She had gained a wild card entry in the Belgian Open at Antwerp and she went on to become only the fifth player to win her debut WTA Tour event.

It was in 2003 that Henin again made her mark in tennis history by being the first Belgian to win a Grand Slam title. She had overcome defending champion Serena Williams in the semi-final and beat her fellow-Belgian Kim Clijsters in the final. Clijsters went on to meet Henin again in two finals of the Grand Slams - and lost both of them.

Henin, who had started that year at number five, was ranked No. 1 at the end of it. She was to hold the number one title for more than a hundred weeks.

Tennis fans will remember her for her perfect strokes on the courts - especially her powerful one-handed backhand. Once unleashed from her racket the ball will home in on its target like a cruise missile. Her backhand is said to be a rare technique that is not even commonly seen in the men's game.

She has earned nearly US$20 million in prize money. When she eliminated Serena, then Venus, at the 2007 U.S. Open, Henin became the first woman to beat both sisters en route to a major title.

Besides winning WTA titles, the Belgian also won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics for her country. It was an achievement which she was immensely proud of.

Henin called it a day on 14 May 2008 at the grand young age of 25 shocking the tennis world all over. In doing so, she became the first woman to retire while ranked No. 1 by the WTA.

"I realized that I was at the end of the road," Henin said during a news conference at her tennis academy outside Brussels. "I lived through it all, I had given it all."

In recognition of her achievements, Henin received triple honors on Sunday night at Ostend, Northern Belgium in her nation's most prestigious sporting occasion - Sports Gala.

The tennis champion was given a lifetime career achievement award with special video messages from American tennis legend Pete Sampras and her male childhood tennis idol - Stefan Edberg.

Perhaps the Roland Garros organisers can consider naming one of their courts after Justine Henin. To help celebrate and remember a true champion.

It will remind the present generation of how Henin captured their hearts with her tennis. It will also help to educate future generations why this tennis great should be remembered.

Non-citizen Amritraj barred from wearing India colours

A government order unveiled Friday that bars non-natives from representing India could deny Prakash Amritraj a place on India's Davis Cup squad.

The sports ministry release said: "Players who are Indian citizens only can avail themselves of government assistance to represent the country in the national teams representing the country."

It effectively rules out Amritraj, 25, a US citizen who was born in Encino, California, from starting a sixth year on India's Davis Cup team in 2009 or playing for the country in the Olympics or the Asian Games.

The 210-ranked Amritraj, whose father Vijay was one of India's most popular tennis stars, last played for the country in the Davis Cup world group play-off against Romania in Bucharest in September.

India lost the tie 1-4 and will continue in the Asia-Oceania Zone group 1 rounds next year.

Three women tennis players, Sunitha Rao, Shikha Uberoi and her sister Neha, will also be barred from representing India since they are all US citizens.

Keothavong leads GB Fed Cup squad

Keothavong has enjoyed her best ever year in 2008

British number one Anne Keothavong will lead Great Britain into their 2009 Fed Cup campaign in Estonia.

The 25-year-old, currently at a career-high of 60 in the world rankings, heads a team that also includes Mel South, Elena Baltacha and Sarah Borwell.

Britain will be attempting to come through the 15-team Europe/Africa Zone Group I event in February.

"It's been a great year for the girls at the top end of the British game," said GB captain Nigel Sears.
"I felt almost spoilt for choice in picking the team to travel to Estonia.

"With Anne Keothavong being ranked 60 in the world and Mel South being right on the edge of the top 100, we are straight away in a stronger position than last year."

Britain lost three of their four ties at the same event in 2008 but avoided relegation with a 2-0 win over Portugal.

I can win Australian Open, Tsonga says

Rising French player Jo-Wilfried Tsonga believes he can go one better at the Australian Open next month and win his first Grand Slam title.

The 23-year-old from Le Mans exploded on to the scene in Melbourne at the start of the year when he reached the final as an unseeded player defeating Rafael Nadal in straight sets in the semi-finals.

He then lost to Novak Djokovic in a closely-fought title match setting the stage for a breakthrough year that saw him rise to sixth place in the world rankings.

"I will go into the Australian Open as one of the possible winners. I am sure of that," Tsonga said on Tuesday.

"The Grand Slam tournaments are what it is all about. I can't wait to get down there and get on with it.

"I am very ambitious for next year and Melbourne will be crucial to what follows. If I can get a good result, I will be well-placed to climb even higher."

Tsonga, who has a history of injuries, said he was "three-quarters" ready with his physical preparation and that he had "never felt better."

He gets his season underway at the Sydney ATP tournament on January 5 with the Australian Open starting on January 19.

French to open Hopman Cup

France will open the 2009 Hopman Cup when they take on Asian qualifiers Chinese Taipei on January 3 in Perth, Australia.

The mixed tournament opens the 2009 season, with eight teams competing to be named the International Tennis Federation's mixed team champions.

The top seeds are the USA, who will be represented by James Blake and Meghann Shaughnessy. They open up against Slovakia on January 5. Australia and Germany make up Group A, the winner of which will progress to the January 9 final.

Second seeds Russia, featuring siblings Marat Safin and Dinara Safina, contest Group B alongside France, Italy and Chinese Taipei.

The players, who will each play a singles match before teaming up for a potentially tie-deciding mixed doubles rubber, will largely use the event as a tune-up for the Australian Open.

The first Grand Slam of 2009 gets under way on January 19.

Borwell glee at Fed Cup call

Sarah Borwell has expressed her delight after being called up to Britain's Fed Cup team as a doubles specialist.

The Teessider, 29, has won four ITF doubles titles this year - two with American partner Courtney Nagle - and joins Anne Keothavong, Elena Baltacha and Mel South in facing Estonia.

She told the Evening Gazette: "I'm so excited. I've been working hard to book my place as the doubles specialist."