Former star player Ilie Nastase has resigned as head of the Romanian Tennis Federation. The resignation comes after he was criticized for spending too much money on a Davis Cup match against France which Romania lost 5-0. Nastase adds that he’s also resigning because he had failed to purchase a building and land for a tennis academy, which had been one of his goals.
Defending champion Xavier Malisse and No. 2 seed Tommy Haas were each ousted in the first round of the Delray Beach International on Monday. Both Haas and Malisse arrived at the tournament coming off medical issues. The No. 27-ranked Haas, who lost to Diego Hartfield of Argentina 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, was playing in his first match of the year after having a third surgical procedure on his right shoulder in…
Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten began his professional tennis farewell tour with a first-round doubles loss at the Brazil Open on Monday. Kuerten and Andre Baran lost 6-3, 6-3 to Italy’s Fabio Fognini and Filippo Volandri. The 31-year-old Kuerten, who held the No. 1 ranking in December 2000, announced last month he will retire from professional tennis after the French Open, which…
Paul-Henri Mathieu edged Marc Gicquel 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4) in an all-French matchup to reach the second round of Open 13. The eighth-seeded Frenchman, who needed four set points in the first set, earned a minibreak on a double fault by Gicquel to lead 5-4 in the second-set tiebreaker, before an unforced error gave him two match points.
Petra Cetkovska upset third-seeded Emilie Loit 6-2, 7-6 (6) Monday at the Cachantun Cup, the first WTA event in Chile. Lourdes Dominguez Lino defeated Iveta Benesova 6-2, 7-5, Julia Schruff routed Maret Ani 6-1, 6-1 and Mariya Koryttseva downed Catalina Castano 7-6 (3), 6-1. The event is played on the clay courts of Las Salinas Country Cub, the site of the men’s annual Movistar Open.
Yaroslava Shvedova upset fifth-seeded Sybille Bammer 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 Monday to advance to the second round of the Diamond Games. Yanina Wickmayer, an 18-year-old ranked 163rd, upset No. 59 Shuai Peng 6-0, 6-4. Karin Knapp defeated Nathalie Dechy 7-6 (3), 6-4, and Li Na cruised past Elena Likhovtseva 6-1, 6-1.
The United States started the defense of its Davis Cup title with a 4-1 first-round win over Austria. The teams split Sunday’s reverse singles after the United States had already secured its quarterfinal spot by winning Saturday’s doubles. American team captain Patrick McEnroe rested Andy Roddick and James Blake and let doubles pair Bob and Mike Bryan play the meaningless reverse singles.
Former star player Ilie Nastase resigned as head of the Romanian Tennis Federation on Tuesday, after newspapers criticized him for spending too much money on a Davis Cup match against France which Romania lost 5-0.
Nastase said he was also resigning because he had failed to purchase a building and land for a tennis academy, which had been one of his goals.
“I have been defeated by the justice system and the press in Romania,” he told Realitatea TV.
Defending champion Xavier Malisse and second-seeded Tommy Haas were ousted in the first round of the Delray Beach International on Monday.
Both Haas and Malisse arrived at the tournament coming off medical issues.
The No. 27-ranked Haas, who lost to Diego Hartfield of Argentina 6-2, 3-6, 6-2, was playing in his first match of the year after having a third surgical procedure on his right shoulder in mid-November.
“When you have surgery you hope it goes well,” Haas said.
Paul-Henri Mathieu edged Marc Gicquel 7-6 (7), 7-6 (4) in an all-French matchup to reach the second round of Open 13.
The eighth-seeded Frenchman earned a mini-break on a double fault by Gicquel to lead 5-4 in the tiebreaker, before an unforced error gave him two match points.
Mathieu next will face the winner of the match between Andreas Seppi of Italy and Michael Llodra of France.
