Tennis News

HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) - Defending champion Roger Federer and rising star Novak Djokovic are safely through to the semi-finals of the Hamburg Masters Series after both enjoyed straight-set wins here on Friday.

ROME (AFP) - World number six Serena Williams pulled out of the WTA Rome International on Friday after hurting her back while training, but thinks she will recover in time for the French Open less than two weeks away.

ROME (AFP) - World number six Serena Williams pulled out of the WTA Rome International on Friday after hurting her back while training, but thinks she will recover in time for the French Open less than two weeks away, she said.

PARIS (AFP) - Thailand tennis twins Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana have been hailed as heroes for helping guests escape a terrifying hotel blaze.

HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) - Both defending champion Roger Federer and third seed Novak Djokovic are safely into the quarter-finals of the Hamburg Masters Series after their third round matches on Thursday.

ROME (AFP) - Russian Maria Sharapova will be the new women's world number one when the WTA rankings are released on Monday, the WTA said in a statement Thursday.

ROME (AFP) - The world's top women tennis players have been paying tribute to and expressing support for former number one Justine Henin after her shock retirement announcement on Wednesday.

HAMBURG, Germany (AFP) - World number one Roger Federer admitted the tennis community were shocked to hear on Wednesday top-ranked female Justine Henin had announced her retirement with immediate effect.

LIMELETTE, Belgium (AFP) - Women's world number one Justine Henin rocked the tennis world on Wednesday by announcing her retirement from competitive tennis.

ROME (Reuters) - American Venus Williams lost 5-7 6-2 6-3 to Serb title holder Jelena Jankovic in the Italian Open quarter-finals on Friday while her sister Serena pulled out at the same stage of the tournament with a back injury.

ROME - Serena Williams withdrew from her quarterfinal match at the Italian Open on Friday due to a back problem.

HAMBURG, Germany (Reuters) - Holder Roger Federer scored a comfortable 6-3 6-3 win over unseeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in the quarter-finals of the Hamburg Masters on Friday.

ROME - Maria Sharapova will assume the No. 1 ranking in tennis because of Justine Henin's retirement.

HAMBURG, Germany - Rafael Nadal had no birthday gift for Andy Murray, beating the Briton in straight sets Thursday to join Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in the Hamburg Masters quarter-finals.

LONDON (Reuters) - Justine Henin appeared to have it all, ranked world number one and with the consistency and mental strength to dominate her sport for years to come.

LIMELETTE, Belgium - The determination that helped Justine Henin beat bigger, stronger opponents time and again was fading. "I decided," the 25-year-old Belgian said, "to stop fooling myself and accept it." Henin retired from tennis Wednesday, an abrupt ending to a career in which she won seven Grand Slam singles titles and spent more than 100 weeks ranked No. 1.

ROME - Defending champion Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and 2002 winner Serena Williams advanced to the Italian Open quarter-finals Thursday.

LONDON (Reuters) - Maria Sharapova will take over as world number one next week after Justine Henin asked to be removed from the rankings following her retirement, the governing body of women's tennis (WTA) said on Thursday.

LIMELETTE, Belgium - Justine Henin is retiring from tennis effectively immediately.

ROME - Maria Sharapova will assume the No. 1 ranking in women's tennis as a result of Justine Henin's retirement.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Following is a selection of tributes to Belgian world number one Justine Henin, who retired from tennis on Wednesday.

LIMELETTE, Belgium - Top-ranked Justine Henin is retiring from tennis, effective immediately.

The happiest I've ever seen Justine Henin was away from a tennis court.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - World number one Justine Henin announced she was retiring from professional tennis with immediate effect on Wednesday.

ROME - Having already displayed his prowess on hard courts this season, Novak Djokovic is showing he's capable of dominating on clay, too. Djokovic won the 10th title of his career Sunday, rallying to beat unseeded Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 at the Rome Masters.

LIMELETTE, Belgium - The determination that helped Justine Henin beat bigger, stronger opponents time and again was fading.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A hip injury is threatening to force Australia's Lleyton Hewitt out of this year's French Open and Wimbledon championships.

BERLIN - Dina Safina pulled off her third upset of a top-10 player in a week at the German Open, winning the title Sunday by defeating ninth-ranked Elena Dementieva 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - ESPN said Monday that it would acquire the cable rights to the U.S. Open of tennis beginning in 2009. Financial terms of the six-year deal between ESPN and the U.S. Tennis Association weren't announced.