Djokovic Goes Gangnam Style, Petrova’s Coach Drops F-Bomb
As the FCC was deciding who to fine after a player’s coach spewed profanity on live TV, we were busy putting together the latest and greatest stories from around the tennis world.
Hey Tennis Fans, I’m Blair Henley and welcome to the Tennis Now News Update.
Yes, Nadia Petrova’s coach, Ricardo Sanchez, momentarily forgot he was wearing a mic when he headed out on the court to coach the 30-year-old during her defeat of Sam Stosur at the Tokyo Open. Some think the profanity was directed at Stosur, but based on the video, it’s just too hard to tell.
Whatever was said, Sanchez managed to coach Petrova all the way to the title.
After a three week rest, US Open champ Andy Murray is heading back to work, and he has a tough road ahead. Over the next two weeks, he’ll be attempting to defend titles in both Tokyo and Shanghai without the aid of his coach Ivan Lendl who did not make the trip overseas. And though Murray has expressed a desire to repeat last year’s impressive fall performance, he’s said he’ll also be saving some energy for the Tour Championships, where he hopes to cap off the best year of his career with yet another win.
Maria Sharapova has spoken out against the ITF’s recent announcement that they will be doubling the number of Fed Cup appearances players must make in order to be eligible for Olympic play. In order to compete in Rio in 2016, WTA players will now have to make four Fed Cup appearances instead of two.
“I’m disappointed,” said Sharapova of the news. “I met with the ITF one-on-one in Miami -- they didn’t listen to us at all.”
Serena Williams is absent yet again at the mandatory China Open this week. The U.S. Open champion says she has the flu, though Serena has never been fond of the Asian swing, playing in Beijing just three times in the last eight years.
Andy Roddick just came off a fundraiser for the Andy Roddick Foundation that raised over one million dollars for local children. The newly retired star and his model wife Brooklyn Decker hosted the event that featured singer, John Legend, Matthew McConaughey and his wife Camilla Alves. Roddick also auctioned off a Federer meet and greet that Roger was kind enough to donate in honor of Andy’s retirement. It is just the fourth time Federer has given away such an opportunity during his 15-year career.
Nicolas Almagro and Novak Djokovic played a fun exhibition match in Taipei where Djokovic not only did impressions of Rafa Nadal and Andy Roddick, but he and Almagro also burst into an impromptu rendition of Psy’s Gangnam Style dance.
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