UNIQLO has announced that it has appointed world number one-ranked Novak Djokovic of Serbia as its global brand ambassador. The five-year partnership will see Djokovic promoting the UNIQLO brand and UNIQLO clothing worldwide. The partnership will also include collaboration on future product lines, as well as co-developing the ultimate UNIQLO functional wear. A preview of the…
This year’s U.S. Open will be the last for former world number one-ranked Kim Clijsters of Belgium. Clijsters has announced that she plans on retiring after the event. She initially retired in 2007 due to a hip injury, but returned in 2009 to win her second U.S. Open title that year. Earlier this year, Clijsters had already…
As the world of professional tennis awaits the start of the 2012 French Open, the qualifying tournament takes place in the day’s preceding. Players whose ranking fall just outside the top tier will compete for a chance to play in the main draw beginning Sunday, May 27. The qualifying tournament provides an opportunity for American young…
Tenth-ranked Mardy Fish and women’s 16th-ranked Andrea Petkovic are among several players who pulled out of the upcoming French Open. Fish, the top-seeded American, has not played a match for more than a month due to an injury. He will be replaced by Canada’s Frank Dancevic. Petkovic has been forced out due to an ankle problem…
Spain’s Rafael Nadal has won his record sixth Italian Open, defeating Novak Djokovic 7-5, 6-3 in a rain-delayed final, regaining the world’s number two ranking in the process. It was a re-match of the 2011 Italian Open finals, where Djokovic was hoping to defend his title. Nadal has now won two straight finals against Djokovic…
The 2012 French Open, the year’s second Grand Slam event, will take place May 27-June 10 at the famed clay courts of Roland Garros. The event was first played in 1891 as a French national tournament on grass. The surface would be changed to red clay in 1912. The first French Open, then called the…
Tennis Channel will offer close to 60 hours of live matches and more than 140 match hours overall during its sixth year of French Open coverage, beginning Sunday, May 27 and running through Sunday, June 10. The network will air almost two dozen hours of encore men’s and women’s singles semifinal and championship telecasts as…
Maria Sharapova successfully defended her Italian Open title Sunday, beating Li Na 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in a three-hour rain-drenched match. Li had victory within sight with a 6-4, 4-0 lead, but Sharapova regained momentum and took the next eight games to win the set, tying the match at one set each and leading 2-0 in…
Great Britain’s Andy Murray was ousted from the 2012 Internazionali BNL d’Italia by Frenchman Richard Gasquet, 6-7, 6-3, 6-2, on Thursday. The world number four-ranked Murray, who continues to be hampered by a long-term back injury, dominated the first set tie-break, but missed 15 of 17 break points as he lost to the 22nd-ranked Gasquet…
Ninth-seeded Serena Williams has advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2012 Internazionali BNL d’Italia, after Italy’s Flavia Pennetta was forced to retire in their quarterfinals match after trailing Serena 4-0. Serena is currently on a 17-match winning streak. Serena moves on to face the number eight seed, China’s Li Na, in the semis, a 6-1, 7-6(4) winner…