Stosur wins in shaky start in 2011

Australia's highest-ranked player Sam Stosur had a shaky start to her first match of 2011 but then let her superior class flow for a 7-6 (7-1) 6-1 win.

The unfortunate player on the receiving end was qualifier Lucie Hradecka, who has been a top-60 player but is currently ranked 110.

Hradecka was on somewhat of a winning streak before she hit Stosur's wall. The Czech had won five matches to claim a Futures event overseas before her three wins in qualifying for her right to start in the main singles of the Brisbane International.

And the Prague 25-year-old raced to 4-1 in the first set before a capacity 5000-strong Pat Rafter Arena crowd.

Stosur looked as confused as some of her shot selections early in the first set. Then again it was the world No.6's first match since losing to Kim Clijsters in the semi-finals of the WTA Championships in Doha last November.

Stosur hit her straps and saved set points in the ninth game to level at 5-5 and then forced the set into a tiebreaker, racing away to claim it 7-1.

In the second set Stosur was on a roll. The serve was sharper, the groundstrokes were harder and more angled and it was the Australian who jumped out to a 4-0 lead. She has not lost to a player outside the top 100 in 17 months.

It was the fifth game before Hradecka held serve but by then it was too late. Stosur only needed one match point to wrap things up and now faces fellow Australian and world No.42, Jarmila Groth, in the second round.

Meanwhile, former world No.10 Daniela Hantuchova has been forced to withdraw from the tournament just hours before her first scheduled match against Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

The WTA medical staff said the 27-year-old Slovakian had a partial tear to her left Achilles tendon. It is not yet known if she will be fit enough to play the Australian Open in two weeks (January 17-31).

First Match, First Upset.

Wildcard Sally Peers has claimed the biggest scalp of her career with a stunning comeback victory against Russian seventh seed Alisa Kleybanova at the Brisbane International.

The first of six Australian women up on court at Pat Rafter Arena, Peers came back from a set and a service break down in the opening round clash to defeat the 25th-ranked Kleybanova 3-6 6-4 6-3.

Peers was helped in the final set by a suspected hip injury to Kleybanova, who still managed to give the Melbourne player a scare after she raced to 5-0.

Peers tightened up and wasted two match points at 5-1 and also looked set to lose her serve a second time at 5-3 following three unforced errors but then saved two break points to claim the biggest win of her career in her third WTA tournament.

Ranked 154th in the world, the youngster's previous best win was over Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak at last year's US Open and lost to Kim Clijsters , who then went on to win the Championships . She also took singles bronze and doubles gold at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Peers was looking down the barrell of a straight-sets defeat in the opening match of the tournament when she trailed 3-2 in the second set.

Kleybanova was up 40-0 in the sixth game but the Australian fought back to break in a massive turning point.

From the WTA: 11 questions for 2011

Can Caroline Seal It With A Slam?
In 2010 Caroline Wozniacki reigned supreme by many measures, her 62 match wins and six titles resulting in a well-deserved rise to No.1. But it seems only a Grand Slam title will satisfy some critics of the ranking system, and no doubt the young Dane herself is desperate for major success. The Australian Open offers up a perfect opportunity, and not just because Serena Williams won't be there: hardcourts suit Wozniacki's game and her top seeding at the US Open, though she was ranked No.2 at the time, added to her growing store of experience. But as well as learning to beat Kim Clijsters in big matches, Wozniacki will need to keep her nose in front of contemporaries such as Victoria Azarenka, Aravane Rezai and Alisa Kleybanova, who are also capable of a breakthrough.

Will Serena and Venus Remain a Force?
If there's one thing the tennis world has learned over the past decade, it is this: No matter how down-for-the-count they may appear to be, the Williams should never, ever be underestimated. Exhibit A is Serena's feat of winning the Australian Open in 2007, having played just four tournaments in an injury-marred 2006 season that saw her tumble outside the Top 100. But as any athlete knows, age only makes it harder to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat. The 13-time Grand Slam champion's return from a droopy toe (caused by that cut to her foot) now looks to be in the spring at best, while the state of Venus' knee is also uncertain. We can only hope that both sisters come back with a vengeance in 2011, because it feels way too early to say goodbye to them as contenders.

Will The Belgians Be Better Than Ever?
What with her successful US Open title defense, defeat of Wozniacki in the final of the WTA Championships, and tour-leading 10-1 (.909) record against Top 10 opponents, 27-year-old Clijsters would not have found much argument had she ended 2010 as No.1. Missing the Asian fall swing due to injury ended any chance of that, but assuming she is healthy, the alpha mom of tennis may threaten Wozniacki's crown in 2011. With only third round points to defend in Melbourne, and none at Roland Garros, the Belgian is certainly poised for an intriguing season, motivated by her desire to win a Grand Slam away from New York. In 2010 Henin, too, showed signs she could be as good as she was before, until an elbow injury wrecked her season at Wimbledon. Keen to keep expectations realistic, this week's Hopman Cup is set to provide the first real gauge of her form.

Can Sam and Vera Take The Extra Step?
Samantha Stosur and Vera Zvonareva went home empty handed from their maiden Grand Slam finals in 2010. Calmer than before, Zvonareva, in particular, was far from her best in the Wimbledon and US Open finals but things will surely be different should another opportunity present itself - especially if her opponent isn't a Williams or Clijsters. Ditto Stosur, who was favored to beat Schiavone in the French Open final but showed only flashes of the form that took her there. As the host nation's best hope in three decades, she'll certainly be in the glare of the spotlight at this month's Australian Open. The 26-year-old says she can handle the pressure - even thrive on it: "At the end of the day I'd much rather have lots of people cheering for me than against me, so I think I can use it to my advantage," she says. Twenty million Aussies will be hoping she means it.

Will There Be Another Francesca?
Francesca Schiavone's triumph at Roland Garros was the feel-good story 2010, and her title defense will be closely scrutinized come May. It will be equally fascinating to see whether her colleagues in the locker room truly believe they can emulate the Italian veteran. Among those who claim a major title is there for the taking is Marion Bartoli, runner-up to Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2007. Bartoli arrived in Australia weeks early to practice in the heat, and unlike last year will play lead-ins at Brisbane and Hobart. Other players with plenty of game in their late twenties include Li Na, Daniela Hantuchova, Flavia Pennetta and Nadia Petrova. But do they possess the fierce conviction that got Schiavone over the line? (Kimiko Date-Krumm, anyone?)

Can The Former No.1s Relive Former Glories?
The resurgence of Ana Ivanovic in 2010, at first steady but punctuated by a two-title acceleration at the end of the season, was another heartwarming storyline of 2010. "If I prepare properly I believe I will have a chance in Melbourne," she has said, and with a halfway decent seeding on the cards it's hard to argue. The player who beat the Serb in the final at Melbourne Park three years ago, Maria Sharapova, is equally determined to crack the Top 10 again, as evidenced by her decision to play Auckland and possibly Sydney as warm-ups. Then there's Jelena Jankovic, who had a great first half of 2010, clawing her way back to No.2 before slumping in the second half; and Dinara Safina, who might look to Ivanovic for inspiration that all is not lost. It's hard to believe the oldest player in this group, Jankovic, is still only 25. All of them have time.

Who's Primed For A Top 10 Debut?
Three players, Stosur, Schiavone and Li Na made their Top 10 debuts in 2010. The player at the front of the queue to crack the elite for the first time in 2011 is Shahar Peer, who rose from No.31 to No.13 last year. With a 5-9 win-loss record against the Top 10 last season (the same as Schiavone) the 23-year-old Israeli would be a worthy addition, and she also has the ranking system on her side: A former quarterfinalist at the Australian Open, Peer has only third round points to defend in Melbourne this month, while the players ranked immediately ahead of her (Li and Henin) have much more at stake (semifinals and finals, respectively). Besides Peer, just two of the current Top 20 have never featured inside the Top 10: Rezai (No.19) and Maria Kirilenko (No.20).

Ranking Risers To Watch
Not counting Henin, who was unranked at the start of the year, the player who rose the most places in 2010 was Romina Oprandi, who rose from No.220 to No.66, a leap of 154 places. Watch out in 2011 for British hope Laura Robson, who only turns 17 this month and will attack the season with Patrick Mouratoglou as a full time coach; she won't be No.217 for long. Sixteen-year-old Daria Gavrilova is currently stationed outside the Top 500, but last year the Russian won the junior US Open, the Youth Olympic Tennis Event, and was crowned ITF Junior World Champion. Her forays at the senior level will be limited, but solid progress seems likely. Established campaigners who are much better than their current rankings suggest include Svetlana Kuznetsova, Anabel Medina Garrigues, Alizé Cornet and Anna Chakvetadze; their fans will be hoping the only way is up.

What Delights In Store For Doubles?
The 2010 doubles season was deliciously unpredictable. Cara Black and Liezel Huber dissolved their formidable partnership, while the Williams sisters collected their 11th and 12th Grand Slam titles as a unit at the Australian Open and Roland Garros, duly rose to co-No.1s for the first time in their careers, but didn't play after Wimbledon. Out of the blue, Vania King and Yaroslava Shvedova triumphed at the All England Club… and then proved it was no fluke by winning the US Open as well; can they win an ordinary tour event? Indeed, it was Gisela Dulko and Flavia Pennetta who proved most constant: The popular Argentine-Italian duo won seven titles, including the WTA Championships; like Wozniacki, the next step is to add Grand Slam shimmer to their status as the best team in the world. With redoutable Rennae Stubbs talking retirement, Lisa Raymond - who finished 2010 with the Australian as the third-ranked team - will be a hot property in 2011 too.

Who's Due A Title Breakthrough?
In 2010, nine first-time titlists joined the WTA winners' circle, with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Kleybanova both bagging two trophies. Others who went close in their first tour finals included Simona Halep (Fès), Angelique Kerber (Bogotá), Polona Hercog (Acapulco), Arantxa Parra Santonja (Estoril), Kristina Barrois (Strasbourg), Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (Prague) and Johanna Larsson (Portoroz). At No.31, Dominika Cibulkova is the highest ranked player yet to win a WTA title, but has two finals under her belt (Amelia Island and Montréal in 2008). Watch out for two-time Marbella runner-up Carla Suárez Navarro on clay, and spare a thought too for No.52-ranked Russian Elena Vesnina, who has been to four finals in the past two seasons but is yet to taste triumph.

Who Will Be The Next Teen Queen?
Last year Pavlyuchenkova assumed the mantel of highest-ranked teen when Wozniacki celebrated her 20th birthday in July. But the Russian, who won her first WTA titles at Monterrey and Istanbul in 2010, reached a career-high ranking of No.19 in October and finished the season at No.21, will in turn leave the teenaged ranks this coming July. The next highest ranked teen right now is Hercog (No.47) but the Slovene turns 20 during the Australian Open, so watch out for Melanie Oudin, who has until September; although down at No.61, the American showed signs of her 'old' self when she beat Schiavone in the recent Fed Cup final. Also keep an eye on Serbia's Bojana Jovanovski (No.80) and Romania's Halep (No.84), both of whom don't become twentysomethings until after the US Open.

Side Note; 14 Days 11 Hours 25 Minutes till The Australian Open 

Henin Wins in a loss to Belgium

Justine Henin made a successful return after six months out through injury at the Hopman Cup on Saturday but ended up a loser as Belgium were beaten 2-1 by hosts Australia in the opening match of the mixed team event.

The former world number one, who suffered a partial ligament fracture to her right elbow at Wimbledon last year, made more unforced errors than usual but was still too good for Alicia Molik as she won 6-4 6-4 to put Belgium ahead.

Another former world number one Lleyton Hewitt levelled the tie after a 6-4 6-3 win over world number 178 Ruben Bemelmans and the Australians then joined forces to win the deciding mixed doubles 1-6 6-3 7-6.

Top seeds Serbia, represented by Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic, begin their campaign on Sunday while British number two seeds Andy Murray and Laura Robson open their title bid on Monday.

Temperatures outside the Dome were pushing the 40 degree Celsius mark and it was almost as warm inside as players and the 7,000-strong crowd soon got involved in a topsy-turvy tussle.

Henin, who came back to the tour at the beginning of 2010 after a retirement that lasted 20 months, began well against world number 129 Molik but was understandably rusty as she allowed Molik back from 3-0 down to level at 4-4 in the second.

But when she needed to, Henin responded and she broke serve again in the ninth game and served out for the match.

"Alicia's not the easiest opponent because she changes the rhythm a lot and I lost a bit of my rhythm, but it was good to win," said Henin, who intends to spend her day off on Sunday at the beach.

"I can't play at 100 percent yet, without pain, but the elbow is getting better. A few months ago I didn't know if I was going to be able to come to Australia.

"I'll need a bit of time probably, to be at my best, but my motivation is high. I just have to be patient."

Belgium then looked on course for victory in the mixed doubles when they led the deciding match tiebreak 8-6 but Australia roared back to take it 10-8.

Some Players, young and old, too watch in 2011.

2011 looks set to be another cracking year on the WTA with a whole host of new stars set to create many an upset, as well as the more established stars inevitably taking the major honours once again. And here are some players to keep an eye through out the year!

Kim Clijsters

It's all there for Kim Clijsters, it just depends how committed she is. Can she be a little less up and down than she was in 2010? With Serena out of the picture, you have to say that she's got the game to dominate everybody. Even if she plays at 80 per cent, it should be enough for her to win major tournaments. That said, there are a number of players that I'll be interested to follow this year, all currently outside the top 10 - and they should each have an interesting year ahead of them.

Justine Henin

The first one is Justine Henin, who is due to make her latest comeback from injury next week. She's been out with an elbow injury and is saying that she won't be back to her best until July, but I think we can take that with a pinch of salt - she's deliberately, and rightly, taking the pressure off herself. I would expect her to be knocking on the door by the French Open: if she has no further injuries, I'd see her as one of the favourites to win Roland Garros. It will be too early for her to compete at the Australian Open: with her game she has to play frequently, getting matches under her belt.

But if she can stay injury-free, she'll become a major force again this year.

Maria Sharapova

It has been a staccato few months for Maria as she fights back from injury. However the old phrase about form being temporary and class permanent really does apply to her. I wouldn't be surprised to see her challenging in all four Grand Slams in 2011; but, once again, that will only happen if she can stay injury-free.

Ana Ivanovic

In the last few tournaments of 2010 Ana was an unrecognisable player from the one bereft of form, lacking confidence and looking as if she might be on her way out of tennis. However, her partnership with Heinz Gunthardt bore fruit by October, when she was as strong as any player in the world. Whatever her reasons for then splitting with the coach, I can't see it being good news for her. I was absolutely convinced that she was one of the favourites for the Australian Open, but it remains to be seen if the hard work she and Heinz put into her mental stamina is still there when she turns up in Melbourne. Sometimes she plays with all the confidence in the world, and sometimes she plays with absolutely no confidence at all - and that change sometimes happened in the space of 10 minutes.

If her upward trend continues, she's a real threat and can take on anyone. I hope it does.

Svetlana Kuznetsova/Dinara Safina

It's make or break for the Russian pair: if neither are in contention for a major tournament in 2011, I think that either or both of them will retire. They are both at a crossroads, Safina because she tries too hard and Kuznetsova because she seems to get easily distracted.

Christina McHale

The young American star has a lot of pressure on her shoulders as the new girl set to take over from the likes of Venus and Serena as the US number one, when the sisters eventually retire. Christina has halved her ranking in 2010 moving from 231 to near the worlds top 100 and now should make many more main draws on the tour without the need to waste energy qualifying. She is gaining confidence all the time and should be able to deal with a lot of the older players quite easily.
It will be interesting to see if she will be able to defeat the very best top 20 ranked girls but i am sure 2011 will be a great year of progression and she could well move to within the worlds top 50 if she stays injury free, causing a few upsets no doubt a long the way.

Laura Robson

2011 looks to be a defining year for the young Brit. its been a while since she won junior Wimbledon and put herself on the tennis radar. Yet with a limited schedule because of her age restrictions Robson has failed to move up the rankings as quick as some expected. Those in the know though understand that Robson can now play a much fuller schedule in 2011 and has already gained some extensive experiences on the tour such as playing Jelena Jankovic on a Wimbledon show court and taking on the mighty Kimiko Date in her home city of Tokyo. Robson is powerful and has a great serve which will allow her to gain cheap points against many opponents. First step is for Laura to try and break the top 100 with a solid start at the beginning of the year. Turning 17 in January Laura will look to qualify into the main draw of the Aussie Open and show the expectant British tennis fans that she is a contender for major honours.

Zarina Diyas

Kazakstan is emerging as a powerful tennis nation. On the ATP tour the likes of Evgeny Korolov, Andrey Golubev and Mikhail Kukushkin are all familiar names, but the ladies now can boast a new star, Zarina Diyas. The 17 year old is a powerful player and looks set to give her Russian neighbours something to think about. She had a steady 2010 but showed her true promise when reaching the quarter finals in Moscow back in October where as a qualifier she destroyed Jankovic before losing to Maria Kirilenko in the next round. The ranking points from Moscow means Zarina now has a top 200 ranking and will be looking to break into the top 100 quickly in 2011. A dangerous floater in any draw, once the youngster gains a little more strength she could challenge for a top 20 ranking very soon. These are just three potential stars of 2011. Other notable names that could also rapidly rise up the ranks are British girls Heather Watson and Tara Moore, the Pliskova sisters from the Czech Republic, American Coco Vandeweghe and Croatian junior star Alya Tomljanovic.

How to make the WTA rankings work.

The WTA rankings clearly DO NOT work!

What value should the winner have as compared to the defeated player? If winning makes all the difference in the world in a Grand Slam final then it should be reflected in the points’ allocation for each player’s rankings.

The highest number of ranking points a player can earn is by winning a Grand Slam singles title. The winner receives 2000 ranking points. The 2nd highest number of ranking points a player can earn is by being the runner-up in a Grand Slam tournament. The runner-up receives 1400 ranking points.

To make the rankings work, an absolute MINIMUM of a 2.5 to 1 ratio of points should be allocated to the winner of a Grand Slam event. Given 1400 is earned by the runner-up then 3500 should be given to the winner.

If this value correction was adopted by the WTA, Serena Williams would currently be the clear world No.1. The differential of 2100 points between the champion and the defeated player would represent a more realistic difference. It would dramatically reduce the possibility of being ranked No.1 without winning a Grand Slam title.

How many points do you think the runner-up would get? What value would you place on the difference between being the winner and the runner-up? Do you think that the runner-up holds 70% as much prestige and fame as the winner does? As unfortunate as it is, the phrase “nobody remembers the loser” often rings true.

The runner-up receives 70% of the amount of points that the winner does, therefore 1400 ranking points. 70% to the runner-up means a player earns 2800 points for twice making it to the final. So, this points allocation means the WTA is saying that 2 runner-up results in a Slam final is a greater result by a player than it is to actually win a Grand Slam title! That’s CLEARLY NOT the case.

Do you think a player who has made it to 2 finals and lost both times will hold a higher place in the history of the game than a player who does actually win a Grand Slam title? I really don’t think so. For instance, Michael Chang’s position in the game’s history would be greater in most people’s view than would dual runner-up Alex Corretja’s.

The performances at the most prestigious and biggest events in the world should make all the difference. Unless the WTA Tour makes a huge effort into promoting and educating the tennis world about the how important the other 10 major women’s tournaments each year, then this seems like the 2nd best solution.

If the ranking system did work like this the rankings would look very differently that what they do currently;
The current ranknigs:
1 Caroline Wozniack 8,035
2 Vera Zvonareva 6,785
3 Kim Clijsters 6,635
4 Serena Williams 5,355
5 Venus Williams 4,985
6 Samantha Stosur 4,982
7 Francesca Schiavone 4,935
8 Jelena Janković 4,445
9 Elena Dementieva 4,335
10 Victoria Azarenka 4,235

If the rankings worked my way!;
1 Serena Williams 8,355
2 Kim Clijsters 8,135
3 Caroline Wozniacki 8,035
4 Vera Zvonerava 6,785
5 Francesca Schiavone 6 435
6 Venus Williams 4,985
7 Samantha Stosur 4,982
8 Jelena Janković 4,445
9 Elena Dementieva 4,335
10 Victoria Azarenka 4,235

Probably a much fairer system!

Navratilova leaves Kilimanjaro early!

WTA legend Martina Navratilova is recovering in a Nairobi hospital after having to halt prematurely her attempt to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.

Navratilova, who was leading a team of 27 climbers to raise funds for the Laureus Sport For Good Foundation charity, was taken ill on the fourth day of the climb up the 19,341 foot mountain in Tanzania. She was assisted down the mountain by porters and driven to the nearby Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre for assessment, then, as a precaution, she was flown to the Nairobi Hospital for further tests, which showed she was suffering from high altitude pulmonary oedema - an accumulation of fluid in the lungs.

Dr. David Silverstein of Nairobi Hospital said: "Basically this is fluid in the lungs related to high altitude. It is potentially dangerous when someone is at high altitude, but once brought down, recovery is quick. Martina is doing well and will continue to do well. Treatment is to remove the fluid through diuretics and to make the patient more comfortable with oxygen. She will spend two to three days in hospital. There will be no effects to long term health and patients get back to full fitness in due course. Martina's acute condition is not reflective of her health or fitness. It occurs in some people in conditions of low oxygen."

From her bed at the Nairobi Hospital, Martina said: "I'm disappointed not to be able to complete this amazing journey. It was something that I have wanted to do for so long, but it was not to be. I am so pleased that we got it going and I will be watching and waiting for news from the climb when they reach the summit tomorrow. I didn't make it, but I think it has been a great success as we have raised funds and awareness for the work that Laureus does."

Navratilova was in good spirits as she left the campsite at Horombo. She had reached 4500m during the day, the highest point of the climb so far.

Among Martina's team was badminton star Gail Emms and Paralympian Michael Teuber, who said: "The whole group of the climbers is very sad about Martina's situation, but at the same time we are glad to hear that she is doing fine. Now we are even more motivated and want to reach the summit also for her. I will carry the Laureus flag up to the top and stick it in the ground for her."

The climb began on Monday and is due to reach the summit Saturday. The Laureus team have had to face unseasonal weather of blizzards and mists which has made progress extremely difficult over the last few days.

Serena Williams will probably not be back until spring.

Serena Williams, who has not played competitively on tour since dominating the field and winning her 13th major at Wimbledon this year, hopes to make her comeback in the spring, according to the New York Post.

"I hope to be out of the cast and back on the court by spring," Williams told the New York Post at YSL and Vogue's fashion party in Miami on Saturday night. "I am trying to make the best out of a bad situation."

Williams, 29, reportedly had her foot in a cast decorated with Swarovski crystals on Saturday.

Williams initially suffered the injury when she was cut on glass at a restaurant in Munich, Germany, on July 7. She received stitches in both feet and then needed further surgery to repair a lacerated tendon on the top of her right foot in Los Angeles on July 15.

At the time of the accident, the American was ranked No. 1, but the injury forced her to pull out of the U.S. Open. A hopeful Williams committed to playing in a handful of tournaments this fall, but her foot did not heal properly as she began training.

She underwent further procedures on her foot in October and later pulled out of the Australian Open. Not only will Serena be unable to defend her title at Melbourne Park, but she may now reportedly miss a significant amount of time following the season's first major.

Serena ended the season ranked No. 4, behind Caroline Wozniacki, Vera Zvonareva and Kim Clijsters.

Serena showed off her bedazzled cast at YSL and Vogue’s “Evenings in Vogue” party in Miami on Saturday night, according to New York Post gossip column Page Six.

“I decorated it myself with crystals. I am trying to make the best out of a bad situation. I hope to be out of the cast and back on the court by spring,” she said.

Serena also spoke of lover after she recently rekindled her romance with rapper Common.

Williams has previously revealed that she’s looking to settle down with the man of her dreams.

“I’m looking for a guy who is close to his parents — his mom mostly because you can learn a lot about a guy by the way he treats his mom,” she said last month.

“And someone who loves themselves because if they take care of themselves, they are able to take care of you.

“I don’t like smokers, and of course people who disrespect their parents and families. Family is very important to me.

“When people meet me, I’m different in person I’m very nice and easy going.”

Deja Vu for Deja.

For those of you who haven’t heard of Deja Kitchiner, she is a young girl from the USA who is being touted by her father as the next Justine Henin and Steffi Graf. She has a youtube account and her father has attempted to create hype around Deja by spamming tennis forums with videos of her and making outlandish claims about her future in the game. The problem is that in reality, she just isn’t very good. In the youtube videos of her being fed balls, she appears to be hitting her serve, backhand and volleys all in the same western forehand grip, and any beginner could tell you just how wrong that is. Not only this but Deja's father has claimed she has the "best back hand the game of tennis has seen" and he has also stated that she can serve 115mph+

It really highlights just how easily fathers can exploit their daughters. She probably is a nice, normal young lady but she has become the butt of jokes across the tennis community as her father continues to shamelessly promote her under the moniker of JustWinDeja among other usernames and fake profiles. Shouldn’t it be JustPlayDeja? He claims that she is thirteen years old but not only does she look far older, but she has seemingly been thirteen for years now. It’s just a sad situation and if (and when) she doesn’t become that world famous pro that her father is adamant she will be, how will she be able to have a normal life considering she will have spent her whole childhood playing tennis?

With all that said, the sob story is brilliant; “We played in a hallway and when there was no hallway we, um, hit on the back of our SUV”. Completely believable of course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v2kiadufjg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yv2iG5iQp1o&feature=related

The first video is the alleged 13 year old Deja Kitchiner, the second Serena Williams at 12 years old. I think its pretty obvious who is the better player.

Update: 2011 outfits.

Not too long ago I wrote about what some Adidas and Nike Players would be wareing at the start of 2011, here is a quick update! These images are a bit clearer of what Serena Williams would have worn and what Maria Sharapova will ware at the Australian Open. I'm sad we may not get see Serena's dress in action, because I think it would have suited her and the court perfectly! I think Maria's dress will turn into one of those ones that suite her, but no one else! It should look great on her, but the average person would not look to great in it!These outfits will be for the average Adidas player, with the pink/orange dress probably being Ivanavic's French Open dress. The polo's or round neck top will be for henin and the tank's for Kirilenko, Oudin, Lisicki etc.



















To give you a rough idea of what the Adilibria line will look like for Roland Garros this is the tank and skort that players will ware