ITF confirms 1-year ban for Wickmayer
(Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:43:59 PST)
The International Tennis Federation has confirmed a one-year suspension for Belgian tennis players Yanina Wickmayer and Xavier Malisse. The duo was suspended by a Belgian tribunal this week for failing to report their whereabouts to anti-doping officials three times this year. The ITF said in a statement Saturday that it agreed the players had violated anti-doping rules.

ITF president expects fine for Serena
(Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:29:52 PST)
The president of the International Tennis Federation thinks Serena Williams will receive a fine but not be suspended for her U.S. Open tirade. In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday, Francesco Ricci Bitti said a fine would "make much more sense." Grand Slam administrator Bill Babcock is expected to give his recommendation to the Grand Slam committee, which will likely...

Bartoli, Rezai set all-France final
(Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:42:49 PST)
Top-seeded Marion Bartoli and Aravane Rezai had straight-set victories on Saturday to line up an all-French final at the Commonwealth Bank Tournament of Champions. Bartoli beat Japan's Kimiko Date-Krumm, 6-1, 6-3 in an 85-minute match. Date-Krumm, who was seeded 12th, had reached the semifinals after Yanina Wickmayer withdrew because of a one-year doping suspension.

Gasquet faces doping hearing next week
(Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:05:50 PST)
Tennis player Richard Gasquet will go before the highest court in sports Tuesday for what he says was a cocaine-tainted kiss in a nightclub. The World Anti-Doping Agency and International Tennis Federation have asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland to ban him for one to two years. Gasquet failed a drug test after pulling out injured from a tournament in Florida in March and was...

Djokovic calls for meetings on schedule
(Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:19:00 PST)
Novak Djokovic has called for "crucial" meetings to address the heavy playing schedule faced by top tennis players. The third-ranked Serb said Friday that more players were getting injured because of the demands of a long season. Djokovic said players should have up to two months rest before preparing for the Australian Open in January.